Cobras handle last-minute opponent

SIGOURNEY - With just a day to prepare for an opponent, the eighth-ranked (Class 1A) Sigourney-Keota football team managed a dominating 48-14 win over LaPorte City Union Friday behind senior all-state defensive back Brady Duwa.

Duwa had two interceptions that set up touchdowns, 95 yards rushing on five carries, two receptions for 33 yards and six tackles, five solo.

The Cobras (2-0) received word Wednesday about 5:15 p.m. that scheduled opponent EBF was out due to Covid.

Within an hour, Sigourney Athletic Director Lee Crawford had called Union, worked out the details and had a replacement in place for Friday's home game.

'We had to change our focus from double tight, double wing offense to some sort of spread offense the last 15 minutes of practice,” SK head coach Jared Jensen said. 'We received a film about 6:30 that evening and we were off and running on breaking down what they did and how we were going to attack or defend it.”

The Cobras attacked and defended very well, rolling up 497 yards of offense and allowing 172 yards on defense. SK had 385 yards rushing with 124 from Cade Molyneux, 98 from Levi Crawford, Duwa's total and 60 from Ethan Shifflet.

'We came out and controlled the ground game early on the outside, then started gaining traction on the inside before Union really just started throwing it all at us inside,” Jensen said. 'We were able to adjust, get back to the outside and use their aggressiveness against them, having some big plays on the counter, hitting some big pass plays and a screen to slow them up a little bit.”

Molyneux had 82 yards on 3-of-5 passes with Wyatt Sieren catching a TD that went 67 yards.

'Defensively, we took their jet sweep and outside stretch plays down early and they went completely away from what they do best,” Jensen said. 'They couldn't gain any traction with their inside run game or pass game. We were able to put up 35 points in the first half and hold Union to a goose egg.”

Defensively, sophomore Jack Clarahan had a 'big game trying to contain Union's jet sweep from the outside,” Jensen said. He had 10 total tackles, eight solo. Colton Clarahan and Aiden Schuster both tallied five tackles while Wyatt Sieren had 4.5 tackles and an interception.

District play starts Friday with a game at Louisa-Muscatine.