Revenge was on the mind and playing at home this year might have helped, but the Jackson Heights football team put together a dominating 42-10 Sectional playoff win against Colgan on Friday night that is sending them to Class 1A Sub State for the first time since 1983.  The Cobras scored twice in less than two minutes in the first quarter to jump to a 14-0 lead and never loooked back while rushing 58 times for 481 yards and holding the Panthers to just 161 total yards and avenging a 34-7 season ending loss in Pittsburg a year ago.  

The game started eerie similiar to last year as Jackson Heights got big chucks of yards on their first six plays but fumbled at the Colgan 18-yard-line.  As it turned out, that would be about the only mistake Jackson Heights made all night as they scored on every possession the rest of the night, besides a four-play drive just before halftime.  After the green and gold defense forced a quick three and out, the Cobras took advantage of a short 46-yard field and Cooper Williams opened the scoring with a three-yard touchdown run. Colgan then fumbled the ensuing kickoff and four plays later, Williams was back in the endzone for a 14-0 lead.  

St. Mary's Colgan really had just one sustained drive in the game as they went 62 yards on 12 plays, but after a penalty inside the ten, they settled for a 28 yard field goal to pull within 14-3.  Jackson Heights then went 80 yards on 10 plays before halftime and took a 21-3 lead on a nine-yard touchdown run by Jason Bosley. Jackson Heights outgained Colgan 231 yards to 75 yards in the first half and had 13 first downs to only four for the Panthers.

Colgan tried to make it a game with a quick scoring drive to start the second half as Gianni Piccini tossed a 37-yard pass and then ran in a nine-yard touchdown to pull within 21-10 early in the third period. But, the strong and physical Jackson Heights line was just too much on both sides of the football and they scored on their final three drives to end the game.  Dylan Thompson broke off a 59-yard TD run on a fullback dive and Cooper Williams scored from nine yards out to make it 35-10 heading into the fourth frame. Then, after a huge Taylor Wamego sack on third down and long for Colgan, the Cobras got the ball back and went on a nine-minute drive that covered 85 yards in 14 plays before Wiliams scored his fourth touchdown of the night to cap the scoring with 1:19 remaining. 

Wamego earned the Giant Commnications "Lineman of the Game," honors and was dominant while playing with a ton of energy and emotion to keep the Cobras confident and focused throughout the game. His play up front, along with Hudson Roles, Trey Manuel, Riley Watkins, Carson Williams and tight ends Colby Doyle and Joel Kennedy help pave the way for Heights to average more than eight yards per carry and not have to attempt a pass all night.  The defense was just as dominant and made more than a handful of tackles behind the line of scrimage.  

Three backs all had huge nights in a balanced attack as Bosley ran for 183 yards on 19 carries, Thompson ran 18 times for 164 yards and Williams finished with 105 yards on his 18 totes to improve Jackson Heights record to 9-2 with their seventh consecutive victory.  All three backs shared the "Player to Bank On," honors from the Citizens State Bank and Trust Company in Hiawatha. The Cobras finished with 24 first downs and only had two penalties. 

Colgan ends their season 7-4 and totaled just 111 yards rushing while going 2-7 passing for 50 yards and gaining just six first downs. It was a bitter homecoming of sorts for Royal Valley grad and former assistant coach Shawn Seematter, who is in his third seasons leading Colgan. 

It was a big celebration for Jackson Heights on Dave Henry football field as Jackson Heights clinched their first sub state apperance since the legend Dave Henry was coach back in 1983. It is just the fourth sub state game in school history and will be at Centralia next Friday with live coverage on KNZA 103.9 FM.  Centralia improved to 10-1 with a 22-20 win at undefeated Olpe in Sectionals, The Panthers and Cobras split their meetings in 2016 and 2017.