[simage=946,400,y,center]
Today is the day Pella football fans, players and coaches have been waiting years for.. the day Pella plays to win a football state championship. For the first time in school history Pella has that chance when they battle perennial powerhouse Harlan at 4:05pm today at the UNI Dome in the Class 3A championship game, Pella coach Jay Mckinstrey says the Cyclones don’t have many weaknesses, if any, but Pella won’t back down and they’re confident they can win:
“They’ve got great size, they’ve got speed and strength, they can throw it and run it, they get after ya on defense and they present alot of challenges. They wear opponents down and use it to take control of the game. We can’t let that happen to us today..we’re gonna have to keep fighting play after play after play, not turn the ball over, not make mistakes and play great special teams. We’re going there to win, we’ve had a great week and we think we’re going to play very well today”
He says the difference maker for Pella during this post season has been their play on special teams. He says they’ll need to see that again today and more to beat Harlan:
“That’s the main reason we’re winning games right now, we’re winning the field position game due to our special teams play, it’s won four games in a row for us honestly. We haven’t played great on offense or defense, but overall we’re doing good things and not making mistakes. We’ll certainly have to do that again today”
He says each week during the post season there’s been a common theme he’s stressed to the players:
“One more time..that’s what we’re asking them today…to elevate their play one more time and to put the best they have on the field every play, if we can do that I’d like to think we’ll have the opportunity to be state champions”
Pella is the only 4th seed to make the championship game and hopes to win their first title while denying Harlan their 12th championship. You can hear live coverage with Jamie Brockman and Randy Sikkema on 92.1 FM KRLS starting with a special pre game which includes a musical tribute with game highlights to start things off at 3:30pm today.