Special teams may be difference

SIGOURNEY - Playoffs are a time when the best are tested against the best. A football team must be performing at its peak in all three areas of the game if it is to advance.

Sigourney-Keota has fashioned an unbeaten season with the advantage against opponents all year in offense, defense and special teams. But Friday's foe excels in each area as well. Waterloo Columbus Catholic comes to challenge the Cobras for the right to play a Class 1A semifinal in the UNI-Dome. The last time the Sailors advanced to the Round of 8 was 2004.

'It might be the battle of special teams,” SK head coach Jared Jensen. 'Both teams pose a threat on their return game and kicking game. It should be an exciting special teams night.”

In Class 1A, SK is first in average per punt return (28.8) and CC second (26.1). Both have two kickoff return TDs with a long of 90. CC is first with an average 44.7 yards a return and SK is fourth. SK has the third longest field goal at 39 yards, CC has a 30-yarder.

The Sailors, now 8-1 with seven straight wins, defeated Mediapolis (32-20) Friday in the Round of 16 by a similar score to the Cobras defeat (31-14) of the Bulldogs Oct. 2. Alex Feldmann set up Columbus first touchdown with a 46-yard kickoff return, got 44 yards on a second return that Columbus turned into a score, then provided a timely TD in the third quarter with a 90-yard return after the Bulldogs pulled within 26-20.

The Mediapolis game provides Jensen comparisons to judge the Sailors.

'Absolutely seeing them play a common opponent gives us a better gauge of where they are at,” he said. 'It gives us the ability to see what players they have and what they were able to do.”

Against Mepo, Columbus did not have a turnover, rushed for 162 yards on 27 attempts with six carries for 10 or more yards. Quarterback Carter Gallagher had four of those big gainers. He had 90 yards on 10 carries while also completing 6-of-10 passes for 121 yards and three touchdowns - two of them to Caden Hartz. Hartz has 28 catches for 619 yards and Feldman is 24 for 358. The Sailors show a lot of different looks on offense, going from three-back sets to four-wide receiver sets. Five backs have at least 230 yards rushing.

'They are very skilled and very balanced on offense in the sense of four to five guys seem to be go-to guys,” Jensen said. 'They do a lot of shifting and motioning to try to create defensive confusion.”

Against SK Oct. 2, Mepo had 123 yards rushing on 23 attempts and 208 yards passing on 11-of-23.

Against Columbus, Mepo had 108 yards on 42 rushes and went 22-of-30 passing for 208 yards. Mepo was 10-for-15 on third-down conversions and 2-for-3 on fourth down, but Columbus came up with two key turnovers and a fourth-down stop late in the game.

'Columbus can do a lot of things and has really skilled linebackers and defensive backs,” Jensen said. They seem to have the ability to morph into just about any defense from a 3-4 to 4-4 to a 4-2-5. They seem to be very balanced.”

Columbus's defense is first in 1A in interceptions with 18, third in total sacks, third in solo tackles and first in total tackles. SK's offense is third in offensive touchdowns, fourth in yards, second in rushing yards, and third in all-purpose yards.

'I think where our advantages lay is our offensive and defensive lines,” Jensen said. 'Their line is not as large as we have seen, but will be a quicker and more physical line that we have seen the past few weeks.”

For the season, CC has 1,230 yards on 64-for-116 passing and 1,997 yards on 293 rushes. The Cobras are 36-of-54 for 726 yards passing and have 2727 yards rushing on 337 carries.

'I like our size and physicality in the matchup on both sides of the ball,” Jensen said.

While it is down to just eight teams, the Cobras cannot be looking ahead to the possible trip to the semifinals. They also cannot look behind them to the playoff snub from last season.

'We just have to continue to be us, not buy into the hype of the quarterfinals and just play Cobra football like we have all year long,” Jensen said. 'If we can do that on both sides of the ball, I think we can make it out on top.”