By TYLER HENRY
Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post
After knocking off Ark City 38-12 in the opening round last week, the Abilene Cowboys will host a second-round playoff game for the first time in over a decade as they prepare to welcome in Andover Central.
The Cowboys come into this contest at 7-2 while the Jaguars enter at 6-3, fresh off a 41-20 win over Independence last week.
This will also mark the second straight playoff game for Abilene against an opponent with a deceptive resume, as Andover Central, like Ark City, has faced a steady diet of 5A opponents this year.
“Andover Central is absolutely better than their record,” Cowboy head coach Brad Nicks said. “Offensively they have great weapons and they like to throw it around. They also have a very strong line and one of the best running backs we’ve seen this year.”
The Jaguars have been led all season by the junior duo of quarterback Jace Jefferson, and running back Maddox Archibald.
Jefferson has completed 56% of his passes for 1,534 yards and 16 touchdowns while Archibald averages over five yards per carry as part of a 1,000-yard season with 14 scores.
That tandem will go toe-to-toe with a Cowboy offense that still ranks as one of Class 4A's best, leading the pack in passing offense (260 yds/g).
“For us, everything we do starts up front and we’ll have to be able to run the ball a bit and buy Stocton time to sit back and throw it when we need to,” Nicks said.
While this season has undoubtedly been one of Abilene’s best in recent memory, the Cowboys continue to look for ways to push that envelope even further as they look to make a real run in Class 4A.
“We’re still looking for a little more consistency,” he said. “We play really well a lot of the time but we still have breakdowns here and there. We’re getting to the point in the season where every little thing matters now more than it does in the regular season.”
Having this game at home isn’t just a boost on Friday night, it serves as a reminder of just how far the Cowboys have come as a program just two years removed from another winless season.
“The kids told me they wanted to host the second round at home before the season began and I remember thinking that was going to be tough but we set out to do it and here we are,” Nicks said. “We have such a great community here in Abilene and they really come out and support our program, it’s great to be back at Cowboy Stadium again this week.”
Kickoff between the Cowboys and Jaguars is set for 7:00 at Abilene High School.
The winner of this game will advance to the 4A quarterfinals to await either Buhler (7-2) or McPherson (6-3).