(Sidney, IA) — Sidney used 30 unanswered points in the second half to beat Exira EHK 52-24 in an 8 Man football opener for both teams on Friday night.
Sidney did not have a lot of starters return from last year’s squad but Senior Aiden Stenzel showed off his speed in the 2nd half with a kickoff return for a touchdown and an interception for another score to lead the Cowboys to an opening season win.
The Cowboys moved the ball on their opening drive but failed on a 4th and Goal from the 5 yard line but after the Spartans went 3 and out, Freshman Quarterback Evan Lauman found Rylan Behrends for a 28 yard TD and a two point conversion made it 8-0.
In the 2nd quarter, Exira EHK finally gave an answer — starting at their own 33, the Spartans moved down the field. QB Bryce Brabham got dinged on a hard hit but stayed in the game, Allen Olsen got an 18 yard run, Josten Kilworth ran for 12 yards and Olsen would carry it in the end zone for a 4 yard score and Kilworth’s 2 point conversion tied it at 8-8.
Sidney got a great return from Stenzel on the kickoff to give the Cowboys great field position and moved it inside the 10. After a bad snap on 3rd and Goal from the 1 moved Sidney back to the 8, new Head Coach Kyle Wallace used some trick-er-ation. RB Tate Mount rolled out to the left and with his left hand flipped it to a tackle eligible Ben Kingsolver for an 8 yard TD pass. The extra point was no good and Sidney led 14-8 at the half.
Exira EHK opened the 2nd half with a nice drive capped by Brabham’s 1 yard TD and a two point conversion made it 16-14 Spartans. The Cowboys answered with a drive of their own and Mount shoved his way into the end zone for a 1 yard TD and it was 22-16 Sidney.
The back and forth continued when moments later Brabham connected with Kilworth on a 52 yard TD pass and a 2 point conversion gave the Spartans a 24-22 lead.
That lead was short lived as Stenzel picked up the kickoff just inside the 20 and found a seam and took it to the house for a 63 yard kickoff return and the Cowboys were back in front 28-24.
Early in the 4th quarter, Exira EHK faced a 4th and 5 but Sidney’s pressure forced Brabham to throw off his back foot and he missed a wide open Kilworth. Sidney took over and Lauman broke a 34 yard TD to make it 36-24.
On the next possession, Stenzel picked off a Brabham pass and ran it all the way back 58 yards for a TD. Mount added a 14 yard TD run late and Sidney got their win.
Aiden Stenzel had a defensive TD, special teams score, plus had 9 carries for 44 yards and 2 receptions for 18 yards.
For Exira EHK, Bryce Brabham had 19 carries for 109 yards and a TD but was only 2-17 passing for 65 yards, 1 TD and 2 INT. Josten Kilworth had 8 carries for 41 yards and caught 1 pass for 52 yards and a TD. Allen Olsen had 7 carries for 46 yards and a TD.
Exira EHK (0-1) 0-8-16-0 — 24
Sidney (1-0) 8-6-14-24 — 52
