Coe better than even it expected

CEDAR RAPIDS - The Coe Kohawks prep for their upcoming season each late summer/early fall by finding a nearby school they are not scheduled to play and scrimmaging. This year's opponent was Grand View.

“After we scrimmaged Grand View, I thought we'd be lucky to win four games,” said Coe linebacker Tate Harrison. “It didn't go very well.”

Harrison was off in his prediction. Way, way off.

Coe went 9-1 instead, finishing second to Central in the Iowa Conference and securing an at-large berth in the NCAA Division III playoffs. The first-round opponent is perennial national power St. John's (10-0) Saturday at noon in Collegeville, Minn.

Coe, in the playoffs for the first time since 2005, hasn't beaten the Johnnies in three previous postseason games. It'll be an underdog again today, but even if the Kohawks lose, it's been a very good season.

“I've been confident in our team every year coming into a season,” said senior linebacker Calvin Thomas. “But we went above and beyond our expectations this year with 9-1. I just like how we took the approach to our season. It really was one game at a time. Focus and make sure our game plan is strong. Execute it, and take it from there. I'm real impressed by our team.”

An offense that had no returning linemen and an inexperienced quarterback in Brad Boyle averaged 30.6 points a game, second in the Iowa Conference. Boyle, a sophomore, had a phenomenal season with 31 total touchdowns and one interception.

A defense led by the linebacking trio of Harrison, Thomas and Ross Yeast and defensive end Frank Weymiller (an Iowa State transfer who set a school record with 11 sacks) led the IIAC in fewest points and yards allowed. The Kohawks got better each and every week, as the cliche goes.

And here they are.

“The first two games scared me, but I thought we had a pretty good team,” Boyle said. “Our defense is so good, they can keep us in ballgames.”

“These kids have really put everything on the line this year,” said Coe Coach Steve Staker. “The work ethic that they have (demonstrated) and the leadership we have gotten from the seniors has been outstanding. They just seem to know what has to be done, and they get the job done.”

Staker thanked his assistant coaches for the jobs they did this season, pointing to the offensive line. He said the leader of that group is 5-foot-6 center Logan Weber, who was a defensive tackle last season.

“I've just been really pleased how the kids have reacted to this and how our backups have come in and filled in when we've had injuries,” he said. “Really, we haven't missed a beat. A lot of that is due to the coaching, making sure they are ready to play.”

Central (10-0) hosts Mary Hardin-Baylor (9-1) of Texas in another noon first-rounder. The

American Football Coaches Association's final national rankings had St. John's No. 4, Central No. 5,

Mary-Hardin Baylor No. 9 and Coe No. 21.