Sidney preps for big test vs. McCook

While the Sidney Red Raiders football team has opened the last three seasons with a 3-0 record, the fourth contest has so far proved the toughest hurdle in recent times. As Sidney enters week four in 2015, it faces another big challenge as the McCook Bison come to town.

In a battle of unbeaten teams, the Raiders and Bison (3-0) will kick off at 7 p.m. on Friday at Weymouth Field. With the game-time temperature expected to be in the high 60's to low 70's, it should be a perfect night for football. Or as former NFL head coach and TV analyst John Madden is fond of saying, "perfect hitting weather."

The large Sidney crowd will be entertained by two of the top Class B football teams in Nebraska. The Raiders will be boosted in their efforts by the return of Jake Heeren, who was injured last week against Hastings. While the Sidney running back and defensive end has missed significant practice time this week, he is expected to be back on the field Friday.

"Anytime you play McCook, there's a standard there you're going to have to live up to," said Sidney head coach Chris Koozer. "They're always tough and it's going to be an easy game to get up for. It's going to be a fun atmosphere and we're all looking forward to it."

If the 2014 game was any indication of what fans might expect Friday, get ready for a tight contest. On McCook's home ground last season, the Raiders and Bison battled to the bitter end in a 20-19 McCook win. The game was in doubt until the final seconds when McCook blocked Sidney's attempt at a game-winning field goal.

The Bison went on to post a 10-2 mark in 2014 after going three games deep into the playoffs. The Raiders completed a strong season (7-3) too, which concluded after a first-round loss in the Class B playoffs.

This season, McCook defeated Alliance (0-3) 28-12 on the road and handed two other opponents their only losses of the young season. Last week, the Bison upended Scottsbluff (2-1) 20-14 in McCook and a week earlier stopped Grand Island Northwest (2-1) 38-16 in another home game. Sidney is coming off wins at Chadron and Adams Central and last week turned back Hastings in the final minute at home.

"Something I used to say about Sidney years ago is that they didn't know how to win," said Bison head coach Jeff Gross. "They've proven in recent years they've learned how to fight and how to win. Years ago, you just knew they would have found a way to lose a game like they had with Hastings last week. But they kept up the fight and found a way to win.

"We know we're going against a bunch of guys that have won state track, were runners up at state basketball and have a quality, playoff football team. And we've got a bunch of winners here, and that's what's going to make this such a good football game," Gross concluded.

Like Sidney, expect the Bison to run the ball behind a strong offensive line.

"They have two huge kids, and if we don't play low, it's going to be a long night," said Koozer.

McCook's front line includes Luke Curl (6-feet-10, 340 pounds), Masen Sis (6-6, 290) and Riley Loop (5-11, 205). Though the Bison have lost a pair of running backs who combined for better than 3,000 yards last season, their cupboard is hardly bare.

"They've run about 180 plays this season with about 150 of them being running plays," Koozer said. "They have recognizable tendencies, but they don't care if you know what's coming. They're confident they can still beat you."

Said Gross, "One thing that's a little different between us is that we like to go more between the tackles while they like to use their speed and run parallel to the line trying to find an opening outside. Both of us have a lot of team speed, so there should be some interesting matchups."

Bison running back Joe Schlager, who wears No. 1 on his back, ran for 153 yards and a touchdown against the Bearcats last week. His biggest jaunt was a 79-yard scamper to the endzone in the first half. Though McCook scored 20 points in the first half, the 'Cats shut them down in the second 24 minutes.

McCook has also used quarterback Easton Gillen to run the option. The 5-9, 145 lbs. signal caller scored one of the Bison's three touchdowns against Scottsbluff. While senior Caleb Sheets, at 6-2, 200 lbs., is McCook's most experienced quarterback, he suffered a broken jaw and is out indefinitely. Bret Baumbach, a 5-11, 175 lbs. junior, will be part of the running attack as well.

"Defensively we're going to have to do our jobs and not somebody else's," Koozer said. "It can't be a one-man show. We have to be disciplined."