A seriously gutty effort sends Colome to the DOME
The Colome football team celebrates a come-from-behind win over Corsica-Stickney to advance to the 9B championship game where they will take on Langford.
By Rich Winter
With a few minutes remaining in Winner's win over BEE, the public address announcer mentioned that Colome had just scored to pull within 27-26. A low murmur, and some scattered applause ripped through the stands and the hill in Winner and I leaned over to Winner Advocate reporter Dan Bechtold and asked, "I wonder if they'll have the guts to go for two?"
Moments later, the PA guy announces that Jackson Kinzer had taken it in for two and a roar erupted through the crowd with the realization that the coffin corner was indeed sending all three teams to the dome.
While the going-for-two, and the win will probably be talked about for years, it was only a small play in a laundry list of gutty plays from Colome.
Was watching the highlights last night when I got home and OMG it could not have started worse for Colome. Right out of the gate, Corsica-Stickney punts, Colome fields the punt and it's snatched away by a Corsica-Stickney defender.
One play later, Landon Bruinsma finds Bryce Plamp for a 34-yard TD pass.
Minutes later, the same pair hooked up on a 44-yard pass play, over the middle, with nary a Colome defender in view.
That should have been it....Colome, on the road, sophomore QB, down two scores to a team that beat them earlier in the year...most teams would have folded.
Colome isn't most teams!!!
The Cowboys got on the board in the second quarter when Kelly O'Bryan scored and trailed 14-6 at the half. Sophomore Jackson Kinzer started the third quarter with a 43-yard TD run. Again, the 2-point conversion failed and Colome trailed 14-12, and then 21-12 as Corsica-Stickney added another score.
Colome scored in the fourth quarter with a TD reception from Koton Salonen, 16-yards from Layton Thieman. Following a 2-point conversion, the Cowboys trailed 21-20.
Sophomore Layton Thieman working against Corsica-Stickney, photo(s) courtesy of Mitchell Daily Republic.
Playing uphill all night, Colome found themselves down, 27-20 after Bruinsma ripped off a 75-yard TD run.
And this is where it gets really nervy....Corsica-Stickney went for two to garner a two-score lead in what would likely have been Colome's death blow.
And the Cowboys stuffed it!
The Cowboys avenged their only loss of the season and at 10-1 marches on to the Dome where they'll take on Langford.
Panic Button salute to the Colome Cowboys, that took some cajones!!
