Last year the Cougar football team was scrambling towards the end of the year to get into the playoffs, but not this year. After a 41-6 win over Waterloo East Kennedy got that crucial win to almost assure them a spot in the playoffs.
“It’s all about seeding now,” Head Coach Tim Lewis said. “Four wins pretty much gets you in, five you’re pretty much guaranteed and now it’s all about seeding. That’s what we’re going to focus on, try to finish on a positive note and get as high of a seed as we can.”
It only took 1:46 to see who the better team was on Thursday night as Kennedy capitalized on two Waterloo East mistakes early on to build a 14-0 lead.
On East’s first play off the game senior Killian Magee scooped up a fumble and ran it 20 yards for a touchdown. “I saw the fumble on the handoff, I decided to make sure it was safe and took it. Lucky I was able to get off one of the tackles and ran it from there,” Magee said.
On their next possession senior Jacob Shannon picked off Waterloo East quarterback Darron Scott and took it all the way back to the house for a 29 yard touchdown run, giving the Cougars all the momentum.
Once the offense finally got on the field they started doing what they knew best, run the ball. Senior Miles Moa scored from 13 yards out to give the Cougars a 21-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Senior Derek Jacobus connected with Magee and Drew Heitland sr., for two touchdown passes in the game as well.
“Two of my other touchdowns were taken back, I was waiting for the flag but luckily there wasn’t one,” Magee said. Magee’s two yard touchdown was his first touchdown catch of his career.
The win came at a cost for the Cougars though as leading tackler Tristian Christopher got rolled up and injured his ankle during the game. “It is a low ankle sprain which is the best you can have, better than that high stuff. He’s a tough kid that wants to finish his senior year on a positive note,” Lewis said.
Kennedy’s second leading rusher Terrence Hall also was injured before the game and had to wear a cast on his arm which prevented him from getting any carries. “They don’t know whether it’s a wrist or a thumb. He couldn’t hold the ball very well so he’ll play mostly linebacker,” Lewis said.
Kennedy squares off with Dubuque Hempstead next Friday.
