Revenge can be a sweet thing.
After losing to Maquoketa in the regular season 27-6 in mid-September, the COVID-19 recovered West Liberty High School football team emerged from a two week quarantine break with a vengeance, upsetting hosting Maquoketa Friday night in a first round state football playoff upset, 35-16.
The now 4-2 Comets, who did not play for the last two weeks due to issues with the Coronavirus, found themselves matched up against Maquoketa in a familiar situation the two teams had earlier in the season, that time the Cardinals coming off a two-week quarantine period.
“We had some bumps and bruises so getting those healed was good,” West Liberty coach Jason Iske said about coming off the break. “The biggest thing was they came out hungry,” he said of his Comets, complimenting, “a great week of practice.”
Obviously, the team learned a few things from their first loss of the season when Maquoketa used a quick-punching running game to roll out to a 20-0 halftime lead.
But a stingy Comet defense was ready for the Cardinals this time, wasting no time making their presence known when senior linebacker David Molina jumped on a fumble on the hosts’ first possession to quickly swing momentum, getting the ball on their own 43.
The Comet offense didn’t waste any time either, junior quarterback Caleb Wulf connecting with senior tight end Kobe Simon, who bulled his way to the Cardinal 22.
West Liberty found themselves knocking on the door deep in Cardinal territory before turning the ball over on downs at the six yard line, failing to get any points.
The Comet defense, however, continued their showcase, allowing just six yards on their second possession to force a punt. The offense took back over deep in Cardinal territory starting at the 27-yard line.
Runs from senior Lake Newton and junior Jahsiah Galvan set up a 10 yard option keeper for Wulf to put across the first score of the game with only 28 seconds left in the opening period, West Liberty taking a 7-0 lead following the PAT boot.
The Cardinals looked to respond with several first downs, but their long drive stalled following an incompletion on fourth down, handing the ball back to the Comets on their own 40.
The Comets put together another drive before striking paydirt again following a 15 yard run from Galvan to put the Comets up 13-0.
Both offenses failed to score on their next possessions resulting in a Maquoketa punt and Comet touchback, before Maquoketa was able to punch the ball across the goal line on a pass from Coakly to Becker and cut the margin in half before halftime.
The Comets’ Lake Newton took any momentum Maquoketa hauled into the locker room when he returned the kickoff 81 yards to extend the Comet lead, 19-7.
After forcing a Maquoketa turnover deep in Comet territory, the Comets put together another big play surprise, the speedster Galvan breaking a run up the middle for 97 yards. Suddenly, West Liberty had a commanding 25-7 lead.
After West Liberty’s defense stopped the hosts again, Galvan punched in another long run on the next possession, this time from 70 yards out, to give the Comets a 32-7 advantage.
Maquoketa scored the last touchdown of the game to cut the margin to 32-14 following a 35-yard pass for a touchdown from Coakley to Atienza.
Junior Bryan Martinez capped a long Comet drive with a 35-yard field goal to give the Comets a comfortable 35-14 lead.
Maquoketa earned two more points late in the fourth quarter via a safety as a snapped sailed over the head of Galvan but sophomore defensive back Josh Zeman’s interception sealed the deal for the Comets.
Who’s next in playoffs?
The Comets continue their Class 2A playoff run at Mount Vernon for second round action this Friday night with the opening kick scheduled for 7 p.m.
The Mustangs of coach Lance Pedersen are 7-1 on the season and among the top 10 teams in Class 2A, led by a strong passing attack as well as a strong running game from Trenton Pitlik, who carried for more than 100 yards last week in a first round win over Vinton-Shellsburg, despite being behind 9-7 at halftime and losing the statistical battle in the game.
Pederson said in his weekly newsletter that his team will have to limit big plays by the Comets in order to win the game. “Galvan is a great back and we will not be able to keep him from gaining yards,” the coach wrote. “We will work hard to contain him.”