No. 1-ranked Exira-EHK wins 44-20, will host Glidden-Ralston in quarterfinal
By Drew Herron - NT Sports Editor / Nov. 5, 2013
EXIRA – It was sloppy, inconsistent, uncharacteristic, and
at times lacking self-control, but the final product will fit just fine.
No. 1-ranked Exira-EHK knocked off Coon Rapids-Bayard Monday
night in second round playoff action, topping the Crusaders 44-20 in a game
that perhaps was closer than the final score indicates.
In all nine of the previous wins this season for the
Spartans, they’ve eventually been able to find a way to dominate their
opponent.
But on Monday night, the Spartans just kind of slid by. Or
as much so as a 24-point playoff victory can be considered close.
“Overall, I thought we played OK, but really, really
undisciplined tonight,” Exira-EHK head coach Tom Petersen said afterwards. “It
was uncharacteristic of our football team, and I can promise you one thing, if
we play like this Friday, we won’t have to worry about practicing Saturday.”
The Spartans never trailed against CRB, but after a fiery
start, Exira-EHK’s attack waned at times, along with the team’s focus.
Penalties plagued both teams, as did turnovers on what turned out to be a very
cold night on the Top of the Hill.
Five days after what might have been the finest performance
of the season for the Exira-EHK offensive line, the unit took a step back
against CRB, and that made the Spartans look almost average at times.
“We went from playing one of our best games against CAM to
playing one of our worst games (tonight) up front,” coach Petersen says. “We
got dominated. We really did. Hats off to Coon Rapids-Bayard, because they came
ready to play. They gave everything, and then some.”
Exira-EHK started the game with a show of force, coercing a
safety on CRB’s opening possession and then scoring a touchdown two plays later
with a 64-yard touchdown pass from Drew Peppers to Jared Hansen.
When EEHK got the ball back, they needed just three more
plays to score again, this time on a 34-yard run by Drew Peppers off a
quarterback draw.
On the first play of the second quarter, Nick Peppers hauled
in a 61-yard pass from his brother Drew to drive the Spartans ahead 23-0, and
things were shaping up to be another rout for EEHK.
However, CRB scored on their next two touchdowns, and stopped
the bleeding on defense to dig in for the long haul.
After the Spartans went ahead 36-13 on a two-yard TD run
from Nick Peppers late in the third quarter, CRB answered on the next play from
scrimmage when QB Brett Carstens raced up the Exira-EHK sideline for a 65-yard
touchdown run, and the maroon defense started to look human.
Exira-EHK senior Trey Sander left the game in the first
quarter with concussion-like symptoms, leaving a gaping hole for the Spartans
that had to be filled by a collection of talent.
“It was done by committee,” coach Petersen says. “We needed
to spread the field and bring in different personnel, but we’ve fought the
adversity thing all season long. Obviously, it hurts when you have one of your
leaders on the sideline. But at the same time, the other kids stepped forward.”
Taking a 36-20 lead into the fourth quarter, Exira-EHK
scored again with 10:03 left, this time from 11 yards out on an option pitch to
Nick Peppers. With a successful two-point conversion to follow, the Spartans
built their most commanding lead at 44-20, the eventual final score.
The victory pushes Exira-EHK into the state quarterfinal
round, where they will host Glidden-Ralston Friday night in Exira. The Spartans
have already defeated G-R once this season during District 7 play, but coach
Petersen says his team needs to make strides this week if they want to ensure that
another trip to the UNI-Dome becomes reality.
“We are going to have to play a lot better for us to have a
chance,” he says. “We know Glidden-Ralston is going to come here hungry, and
why wouldn’t they. It’s short term memory, we have to regroup and get back at
it tomorrow.”
#exira-ehk #8-manfootball
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