Raiders Make Playoffs

Sidney's Red Raider football team improved their record to 6-and-3 and qualified for the playoffs by defeating the Mitchell Tigers on the road, 30-to-7, Friday night.

The Raiders relied on a strong running attack and a dominant defensive performance to stop the well-balanced attack of the Tigers, and are next scheduled for a long travel day on Friday to take on the Ord Chanticleers in the first round of the NSAA Football Playoffs.

Prior to the game Friday night, Tiger's head coach Jimmie Rhodes said that it was critical that Mitchell score first, to gain motivation and momentum and to get the Red Raiders to play from behind, which is why the Tigers opted to receive after winning the opening coin toss. Sidney's Trey Arellano set the tone on the opening kickoff by leveling Tiger sophomore standout Rylan Aguallo with a hard hit at the Mitchell 22-yard line. Mitchell's plan of scoring on their first drive was quickly thwarted by the Red Raiders' defense, forcing a Tiger's quick kick on fourth down which was returned by junior Eli Ahrens 16 yards to midfield.

The first offensive play from scrimmage had Ahrens run for 11 yards and almost break away for a touchdown, and that scenario would repeat as the backfield of Ahrens, Brady Robb, Zak Wieser, Alec Maddox, and Ryan Onstott ran rampant through the Tiger's run defense all night. Four plays later, the Red Raiders were inside the five-yard line ready to put their first points on the board when they were hit again by the turnover bug, fumbling the ball away with Mitchell recovering and taking over on offense inside their own five yard line.

Over the last few weeks, Sidney head coach Chris Koozer has been successful in getting his team to shrug off turnovers and penalties, and to keep focused on the task at hand, and the Red Raiders responded well to their misfortune. Mitchell was able to put a few good plays together to approach midfield, but on a third-and-eight the Sidney defense got into the backfield causing a Tiger's fumble, which was recovered by Sidney senior Jackson Witt in Mitchell territory.

On first down after the turnover, Sidney senior quarterback Arik Doty took a shot way downfield, and just slightly overthrew his receiver for an incompletion. After a run for no gain on second down, Doty again fired a pass downfield, this time connecting with senior Alec Maddox for a 36 yard gain to the Mitchell eight-yard line.

Two plays later, Ahrens ran the ball in from three yards out for an apparent touchdown, only to have the play called back on a holding penalty.

After two more incompletions, Doty attempted a field goal that was low and blocked by the Tigers. But there was an illegal procedure penalty by Sidney prior to the kick, so Doty got another chance now from the 28 yard line and boomed the kick through the uprights for a 3-to-0 Sidney lead.

Mitchell returned the ensuing kickoff to the 30, and then went on a 13-play drive down to the Sidney 14-yard line. On fourth and five, the Tiger's opted to go for the touchdown, and Mitchell junior quarterback Blake Thyne found his younger brother Austin Thyne in the corner of the endzone, only to have his pass broken up at the last second by Alec Maddox, giving the ball back to Sidney on their own 14-yard line.

Now a few minutes into the second quarter, the Sidney offense took over and Ahrens ran for 19 yards on first down, then was followed by two Maddox runs that brought Sidney out to their own 40 yard line. Even a holding penalty that brought the Red Raiders back to their own 15 yard line was overcome on the next play by a Doty 20-yard run. On fourth and short, Doty then used a hard count to get the Tigers to jump offsides, resulting in another Sidney first down. Sidney continued to drive, with sophomore Brady Robb running for 18 yards, then Ahrens making a cutback up the middle to go 28 yards and score the first Sidney touchdown of the game. After a missed extra point kick, the Red Raiders increased their lead to 9-to-0.

Mitchell again drove the ball down the field, but penalties and a tough Sidney defense stopped their drive and forced a punt, and Sidney took over and let the clock run down to halftime. The second half started with a good kickoff return by Wieser to start the Sidney drive at the Mitchell 45 yard line, but both teams proceeded to go three-and-out on their next offensive possessions. On their second possession of the half, Sidney started to drive, but on third down Doty fumbled and Mitchell recovered on their own 32-yard line. Mitchell was again able to gain some yards and a first down, but was again forced to punt and the Red Raiders took over again on their own 38 yard line. Five plays later, Brady Robb blasted up the middle for 30 yards and a touchdown, and after a successful point after kick, the Sidney lead increased to 16-to-0.

Mitchell again proceeded to go three-and-out, fortunate that a sure interception was dropped on third down by Sidney's Alec Maddox. After the punt and starting on their own 25 yard line, Sidney again drove the length of the field, mixing runs by Ahrens, Wieser, Robb, and Maddox until Wieser broke through from the 9 yard line to score another Sidney touchdown, and with a successful point after kick, increased the Red Raider lead to 23-to-0 with just under ten minutes remaining in the game.

Mitchell started to press knowing that they were way behind and running out of time, and quarterback Blake Thyne tried to force a pass into double coverage that was picked off by Arik Doty. Sidney started on their 43-yard line, and another drive featuring the tough running of Eli Ahrens ended in points, with Ahrens running 11 yards for the touchdown, and with the successful point after kick increased the Sidney lead to 30-to-0 with 6:24 remaining in the contest.

Mitchell was eventually able to drive the length of the field, aided by two Sidney face masking penalties, and scored a touchdown on a Thyne-to-Thyne hookup for 3 yards, and with a successful point after kick, the Sidney lead was cut to 30-to-7. Sidney then substituted in its' junior varsity players, and like clockwork, the first time sophomore Beau Wamsley touched the ball he made the corner and ran past everyone for a touchdown. But, there was a holding penalty on the play, and the score was nullified. Sidney ran the ball for the rest of the game while Mitchell burned its' timeouts, and the Red Raiders were able to keep their offense on the field until the final gun sounded, earning the 30-to-7 victory and a spot in the playoffs.

After the game, coach Koozer was pleased by the effort and the results, saying, "I am proud of how the kids played.  I am also excited for the opportunity to make it back to the playoffs.  The kids have worked hard and getting rewarded for it."

The Red Raiders travel on Friday to take on the Ord Chanticleers in the first round of the NSAA playoffs.