HUMBOLDT — When Humboldt High head coach Logan Wyrick reviewed film of the Cubs’ upcoming opponent in Sabetha, he saw a team loaded with size, speed and talent.
What he didn’t see were many weaknesses.
“If you could watch some film and find a hole in their game,” Wyrick joked, “then let me know.”
Friday’s Class 2A state quarterfinal matchup sends Humboldt (9-1) to Sabetha, a stone’s throw from the Nebraska border. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
The Bluejays (9-1) are coming off a wild 46-34 win over perennial power Silver Lake in their regional showdown last week, a game in which Sabetha forced six turnovers and racked up more than 500 yards of offense — all on the ground.
“Everybody’s a really good team at this point of the season,” Wyrick said, “and they’re definitely that. They’re talented across the board.
“They’ve got two really good backs, and they’re big up front,” he continued. “They’re going to want to run and pound the ball. They’ve got some really good athletes, particularly at the linebacker spots. This is definitely going to be the biggest team we’ve faced all season.”
That said, there is reason for hope for the visiting Cubs.
“There are things we do well to counteract the things they run on both sides of the ball,” Wyrick said.
And Humboldt has seen teams already that offer similar playing styles as Sabetha.
Caney Valley, for example, offers a similar run-first approach, while the Cubs just defeated Riverton last week, a team that runs a similar 3-4 defensive set as does Sabetha.
“You can only take experiences like that so far, but it does make it a little nicer to have seen a 3-4 defense before,” he said.
Leading the Sabetha attack is the one-two punch of seniors Colin Menold and Chase Frey. Menold’s performance against Silver Lake was, in a word, legendary. He ran for more than 370 yards on 30 carries, and scored on runs of 43, 48 and 52 yards. Frey added TD runs of 80 and 15 yards.
HUMBOLDT, meanwhile, continues to thrive behind dual-threat quarterback Blake Ellis, who has rushed for 984 yards and 10 touchdowns on the year, while throwing for 1,344 yards and 18 touchdowns.
Cole Mathes, Mason Sterling and Sam Hull also have taken advantage of the running lanes carved out by Humboldt’s offensive line. All three average more than 6 yards a carry. They’ve combined to score 18 touchdowns on the ground.
