Industrial attack singing in the rain in Louise

By Paul Harrison
    The rains came and the thunder rolled over Louise, but after two delays the worst of it had passed. The Industrial Cobras and Louise Hornets kicked off at 9 p.m. and the real storm began.
    Cobra kicker Alberto Pineda pounded the ball over the Hornets’ heads into the endzone for a touchback to start the game. On the change of possession, Avery Milner carried Industrial 20 yards across midfield to the Louise 40. Aaron Rosas rumbled for nine yards to the 31 and Milner followed with a touchdown run, 8:00 to play in the first quarter. Pineda with the extra point and it was 7-0 Industrial.
    “I thought the kids did a good job of staying composed with everything going on,” said Head Coach Kensey Allen. “Got here at 5:30 and thought [the weather] was going to slide by. I thought our kids did a good job of staying composed: realizing that at some point we’re going to play and we gotta keep our minds right.”
    The Cobras took advantage of a sizable backfield stable to move the ball and the offensive line took control at the line of scrimmage. Embodying the night, Logan Gabrysch scooped up a fumbled snap and rolled out.  Gabrysch hit Mason Maraggia for a pass around the 30-yard line that he took the distance, 13-0 Industrial, 1:15 in the first on Pineda’s only missed extra point attempt. The Cobras committed eight penalties but no turnovers in varying stages of precipitation.
    The Industrial defense laid down the law early, as Zach Mendoza flung down the Louise quarterback for a sack, and Jesse Rodriguez trucked a receiver in the secondary for a pass breakup as the quarter ended.
    “It’s football, I don’t know what to say. You’re getting blocks, listening to Coach, doing the right thing, adjusting to what they do: football,” said junior center Sam Smith. “Lighter feet I guess, quicker feet, shoes are going to get muddy. You ain’t going to get much grip, got to get in position and drive; keep your feet moving, quicker steps. It’s momentum, the feeling of winning, and we haven’t had that in a while. I’m not bagging on anybody, but we haven’t had the best record. It feels good to get two wins.”
    Ethan McMullen took a carry for the Cobras from the Louise 41 to the 17-yard line, and Blayne Moreland thundered down to right at the goal line. McMullen took it in for the score and converted the two-point play, 21-0 Industrial with 10:25 in the first half.
    Bailey Kolb picked off Louise on the following possession, returning it to the Hornets’ 26-yard line, but the Cobra offense could not convert it into points. Dylan Hempel led a dogpile for a sack, involving Dylan Turner and Blayne Moreland, forcing a short Louise punt. Milner dragged Hornet defenders from one 40-yard line to the other before turning a 20-yard tightrope walk along the sideline a few plays later into points, 28-0 with Pineda’s kick, 1:44 to play in the half. Julian Sanchez had an interception called back on a penalty. Gabrysch’s juggling interception on the following play closed the half.
     After trading possessions, Gabrysch found Peyton Prukop downfield for a 33-yard score. Industrial converted the two-point try on a bit of trickery, Gabrysch to Maraggia, 36-0 9:14 in the third quarter. Blayke Moreland thumped the runner in the backfield for a loss on the next possession and Marco Martino and Zach Gloyna racked up a sack with 3:15 in the third. A fumbled snap recovered by the Hornets put Louise on the Cobra 2-yard line Louise found the endzone as the quarter closed for their only points, 36-6 closing the quarter, the two-point try buried under the Cobra defensive line.
    Rosas began the quarter for Industrial carry from 40 to the opposite 36-yard line executing a wicked stiff arm on his trot. Gabrysch kept the ball a couple plays later to score from 31 yards out, 43-6. Kolb and Justin Koester punished Louise for a bad snap with a sack on the next possession. Industrial ate clock to finish the game. Rodriguez took a carry 30 yards from midfield to the Hornet 20-yard line. McMullen followed that with a romp to the Louise 1 and scored again on a goal line push with 5:38 to play for the final score, Industrial 50, Louise 6.
    “We’ll see a different offense that we’ll have to stop than we’ve seen all year,” Coach Allen said, looking forward. “Skidmore pretty much runs the ball between the tackles and that’s what they’ve been doing for years. They’ll be pretty tough and they’ve got a lot of misdirection so we’ll have to focus on our reads. Know what our keys are, and make sure we’re playing responsibility football.”
    Industrial invites the Skidmore-Tynan Bobcats for Homecoming Aug. 9 at 7:30 p.m. The Bobcats return nine offensive and defensive players, and finished 2-8 last year, 1-4 in district.