Wolverines get physical in homecoming win over Sidney
East Mills’ Cooper Hagen bulls his way into the end zone in the Wolverines’ homecoming win over Sidney. Hagen ran for 137 yards and three touchdowns in the victory.
HASTINGS - East Mills scored 21 third quarter points and turned a 21-8 halftime lead into a 42-16 blowout victory over Sidney in Eight-player, District 10 football Friday in a game played at the Southwest Iowa Technical Career Hub in Hastings.
The Wolverines (4-1) rushed for a season-high 240 yards and recorded double-digit tackles for loss on defense in the homecoming victory.
“We knew coming in that we wanted to be more physical and bring a fast strong run game,” said East Mills coach Trenton Turney. “We ended up rushing over 40 times which is something we haven’t done since 2016.”
Jiri Brodigan and Cooper Hagen led the Wolverines’ ground attack. Hagen carried 12 times for 137 yards and three touchdowns while Brodigan rushed 14 times for 48 yards and two TDs.
Turney also praised the play of running back Nick Maurer and quarterback Mason Camden.
“I thought our offensive line was very good and dominant,” Turney said. “The defense did great by shutting down their best players. We really only gave up two big plays and they were both 30-yard touchdown passes.”
The Wolverines finished with 346 total yards on the night. Camden was 12-of-16 passing for 94 yards and touchdown.
Mauer led the Wolverines with six tackles, all of them for losses. Curtis Jackson added five solo stops and Hagen added three solo tackles and a fumble recovery.
With construction still on-going on the East Mills’ football field in Malvern, the game was played Friday afternoon on the SWITCH campus, the former Nishna Valley campus. The game was a throwback of sorts, Turney said, for many of the players on his team that started playing youth football on the same field and the many former Nishna Valley graduates and fans in attendance.
“It was kind of nice playing on that field where the kids started their little league careers,” Turney said. “It was great. As it gave some Emerson and Hastings and Nishna Valley people some great memories and get them to be able to come out and celebrate football and remember as well.”
East Mills will host No. 2 rated Woodbine (4-0) back on the SWITCH campus Friday. Kickoff is slated for 5 p.m.