Coffeyville, Kan. - In a ranked NJCAA matchup, the #8 NJCAA-ranked Coffeyville Community College Red Raven Football Team defeated the #2 ranked Iowa Western Reivers. With their third victory of the season over a ranked opponent, Coffeyville's 2022 overall record improves to 7-2.
In this matchup, #4 was better than #1. Coming into the game Iowa Western had the #1 NJCAA-ranked defense based on points allowed per game with just under 8 points allowed per contest. Coffeyville had the fourth-best defense in that category with just a little over 11 points allowed per game. Tonight #4 was better than #1. The Red Ravens' defense time and time again tonight stiffened when they needed to and kept the Reivers out of the end zone.
However, the beginning of the game did not seem like that was going to be the case. On their third drive of the game, Iowa Western went on a 9-play, 50-yard drive capped off by a 7-yard rushing touchdown to give the Reivers an early 7-0 lead over the Ravens in the first quarter. Coffeyville's offense was having a hard time getting started and it was not looking really good early for the Ravens.
Que up a special team play to get the Ravens going. Early in the second quarter, Iowa Western lined up for a 46-yard field goal attempt. Coffeyville sophomore Nnanna Anywanu slashed through the middle and blocked the attempt with Red Raven freshman Jabin Ford scooping up the ball and racing 62 yards for the touchdown. The Forrest Taylor extra-point try failed and the Ravens had pulled within 7-6 on the scoreboard at the 13:13 mark of the second quarter.
On Iowa Westerns' very next possession, Red Raven sophomore defensive back Bishop Fitzgerald stepped in front of a Reiver receiver and picked the pass running untouched 67 yards the opposite way for another Coffeyville touchdown. This time the Forrest Taylor extra point was good and Coffeyville pulled ahead 13-7 at the 10:30 mark of the second quarter.
Three plays into Iowa Western's next possession, Red Raven freshman DB Jabri Tiller got into the action picking off the Reiver quarterback for Iowa Western's second interception of the game. Six plays later Forrest Taylor attempted a 41-yard field goal heading straight into a 10 mph south wind. Taylor drilled the field goal to give the Ravens a 16-7 halftime lead.
Late in the third quarter, the Red Raven offense came alive as sophomore quarterback JR Martin hit sophomore tight end, Jalen Clea, for a 54-yard pass play to the Iowa Western 1-yard line. A couple of plays later Martin hit sophomore running back Dorian Lewis for a 1-yard touchdown pass. The Forrest Taylor extra point was good and Coffeyville held a 23-7 lead going into the fourth quarter.
A pivotal moment in the game came at the start of the fourth quarter. The Coffeyville defense started the fourth quarter with Iowa Western facing a 1st and goal at the Red Ravens' 1-yard line. Coffeyville's defense turned the Reivers away on four straight plays to deny the Reivers any points. The big goal-line stand only added momentum to the Red Ravens while simultaneously taking the air out of the Reiver's sails.
In a fourth quarter that seemed to last forever, Coffeyville managed to stop the Reivers a couple of more times, and the game ended with the Ravens getting the 23-7 victory.
The final stat sheet did not seem to favor the Red Ravens in very many areas, except for the one that is the most important...the score. Offensively, Iowa Western gained a total of 325 yards to Coffeyville's 152 yards. Iowa Western had the ball ten minutes longer than Coffeyville (35 mins to 25 mins) and Iowa Western had 21 first downs in the game to Coffeyville's 5. However, Coffeyville found ways to create points, a special team blocked kick scoop and score, a pick-six by the defense, and one good drive for the offense sealed the victory for the Red Ravens.
Coffeyville will close out the regular season with a road trip out to Garden City Kansas to play the Broncbusters of Garden City Community College on Saturday, November 12th. Game time in Garden City is set for 1:00 pm.
