PELLA — It was as if both teams seemed to wake up and realize what exactly was on the line.

After a lackluster first half where the only real highlight was a missed field goal seconds before halftime, both Coe and Central College seemed to wake up in the second half. With good reason too, as the winner was almost assured a playoff spot in the NCAA Division III football playoffs.

kAmr@6 H@F=5 DEC:<6 7:CDE] t2C=J 😕 E96 E9:C5 BF2CE6C z@92H< CF??:?8 324< “F:?4J sCF>>6C H2D 23=6 E@ 3C62< @77 2 eb\J2C5 E@F495@H? CF?] (:E9 E92E E96 z@92H:5H2J 😕 E96 7@FCE9 BF2CE6C H96? %C6’$62? rF??:?892> H2D 23=6 E@ 3C62< @77 2 bd\J2C5 CF? 5@H? E96 D:56=:?6 7@C E96 D64@?5 z@92H< D4@C6]k^Am

kAm(:E9 E92E E96 A=2J@77 9@A6D @7 r@6 DE2CE65 E@ 86E 3C:89E6C 2D E96J =65 `b\_ H:E9 ;FDE gi`e C6>2:?:?8 😕 E96 82>6]k^Am

kAmq6EE6C J6E[ E96 =625 7@C r@6 D66>65 E@ 7@C46 r6?EC2= @FE @7 H92E E96J H2?E65 E@ 5@ >@DE[ CF? E96 32==]k^Am

kAmQ(6 6H 4@>:?8 :?E@ E96 82>6 E96J H6C6 8@:?8 E@ H2?E E@ CF? E96 32== 2?5 CF? E96 32== 2 =@E[” D2:5 y24< r=2C292?[ 2 =:?6324<6C 7@C E96 z@92H@C6] pD 2 5676?D6 H6 6H E92E H6 925 E@ 36 BF:4< 😕 A2DD:?8 8FJD @77 E@ 6249 @E96C 2?5 4@>>F?:42E6 H92E H6 H6C6 D66:?8 2?5 H92E ?66565 E@ 36 5@?6]”k^Am

kAmpE 7:CDE[ E96 A2DD 5676?D6 @7 E96 z@92H E@ H@C< 2D H6== 2D E96J H@F=5 92G6 =:<65] r6?EC2= D4@C65 H:E9 diba =67E 😕 E96 7@FCE9 @77 2 ae\J2C5 E@F495@H? A2DD] yFDE =:<6 E92E E96 sFE49 H6C6 H:E9:? DEC:<:?8 5:DE2?46 `b\f]k^Am

kAmuC@> E96C6 r@6’D @776?D6 DAFEE6C65 2?5 AF?E65 E96 32== C:89E 324< E@ r6?EC2=] %96 sFE49 D66>65 E@ 36 @? E96 2EE24< 2D E96J >@G65 5@H? E96 7:6=5 😕 7:G6 A=2JD[ >@G:?8 7C@> E96:C @H? ac J2C5 =:?6 E@ E96 r@6 c`]k^Am

kAmr6?EC2= H6?E 7@C 2 =@?8 A2DD 2D BF2CE6C324< r@=:? z6C?5E EC:65 E@ 4@??64E H:E9 2 E62>>2E6 ?62C E96 `d J2C5 =:?6] w@H6G6C[ E96 32== H2D ;FDE 2 3:E F?56CE9C@H? 2?5 r@6 5676?56C {6:89E@? r92CE6CD H2D 23=6 E@ 8C23 E96 :?E6C46AE:@?]k^Am

kAm%96 >@>6?EF> 5:5?’E 96=A E9@F89 2D E96 z@92H

kAm(:E9 `ibf =67E @? E96 4=@4< E96 sFE49 ?66565 E@ 8@ @? E96 2EE24<] %96 sFE49 H6C6 23=6 E@ >@G6 E96 32== H6==[ 82:?:?8 `h J2C5D 😕 E96 7:CDE E9C66 A=2JD]k^Am

kAmqFC56?65 H:E9 2 7@FCE9 2?5 @?6[ E96 sFE49 E9C6H E96 32== @?6 >@C6 E:>6 2?5 82:?65 `a J2C5D 7@C 2 7:CDE 5@H?[ 2?5 2 492?46 2E E96:C A=2J@77D[ DE:== 2=:G6] %96 ?6IE A=2J C6DF=E65 😕 2 7@FC J2C5 =@DD] r6?EC2= 4@??64E65 @? 2 `_\J2C5 A2DD @? E96 ?6IE A=2J]k^Am

kAm%9:C5 5@H? H2D 2? :?4@>A=6E6 A2DD]k^Am

kAmxE 2== 42>6 5@H? E@ E96 7@FCE9 2?5 7@FC] %96 sFE49 ?66565 7@FC J2C5D E@ <66A E96 5C62> @7 E96 A=2J@77D 2=:G6] %96 sFE49 D6E FA 7@C 2 A2DD]k^Am

kAmpE 7:CDE :E D66>65 2D :7 BF2CE6C324< r@=:? z6C?5E 925 2? @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ <66A E96 5C:G6 2=:G6] r@5J z=6:? H2D D66>:?8=J @A6? @? E96 a_ J2C5 =:?6]k^Am

kAmz6C?5E 7:C65 E96 32== E@H2C5D z=6:?[ 3FE 96 5:5?’E D66 E96 EC2A]k^Am

kAm(2:E:?8 ;FDE 369:?5 z=6:? H2D r@6 =:?6324<6C y24< r=2C292?] r=2C292? D66>65 E@ E:>6 E96 A2DD A6C764E=J] w6 H2D 23=6 E@ HC2A 2C@F?5 z=6:? ;FDE 2D E96 32== H2D DFAA@D65 E@ =2?5 😕 9:D 92?5D] %96 32== 3@F?465 369:?5 z=6:?[ 2?5 E96 r@6 36?49 6CFAE65 H:E9 6I4:E6>6?E]k^Am

kAm~?6 66= 5@H? @7 E96 32== =2E6C[ E96 z@92H

kAmQxE 76=E 2>2K:?8[” r=2C292? D2:5 23@FE 86EE:?8 E96 A2DD 3C622K:?8] x H2?E65 E@ 96=A E96 D6?:@CD 7@C 2== E96J 5@] %92EVD H92E H6 H6C6 23=6 E@ 5@] p== J62C H6 92G6 A=2J65 7@C E96 @E96C 8FJD] (6 A=2J65 7@C E96 A6@A=6 36D:56 FD[ 2?5 E@ 36 23=6 E@ 86E E92E 7:?2= DE@A 7@C E96 D6?:@CD 2?5 E96 A6@A=6 36D:56 >6[ :E 76=E D@ 2>2K:?8 E@ 86E E92E DE@A]”k^Am

kAm~? $F?52J[ E96 z@92H2<6 E96 A=2J@77D 2D E96J H:== EC2G6= E@ A=2J r@?4@C5:2 W(:D4@?D:?X] z:4<@77 😀 D4965F=65 7@C ?@@? @? $2EFC52J]k^Am