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Posted: Nov 19, 2025 7:37 AMUpdated: Nov 19, 2025 8:37 AM
South Coffeyville Football Recap
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The South Coffeyville Lions closed out their best football season in nearly a decade, earning their first playoff berth in eight years and finishing the year at 4–7 under head coach Rich Giesen. Their postseason run ended in the opening round with a 37–14 loss to a talented Sasakwa team, which entered the matchup at 9–1 and went on to advance to the second round. Despite the score, Giesen said his team battled late into the second half, trailing just 24–14 before a late miscue led to a final Sasakwa touchdown. “We played well. We had a chance to really come through and score a couple times—we didn’t, and that was the difference,” he said. “When you get to the playoffs, everybody’s good, so you’ve got to play your best.”
While the loss stung, the mood in the locker room quickly shifted toward optimism. Giesen said his players were emotional, but their focus immediately turned to the future—an encouraging sign for a program that just recently began rebuilding from “ground zero.” The Lions graduate only four seniors this year, a significant number for a small school but one the coaching staff believes they can overcome thanks to strong participation in the lower grades. Giesen stressed the importance of multi-sport involvement and a productive offseason, noting that many players will now transition into basketball, baseball, and track. “We’ve got a great number of kids returning, and some young kids coming in that will do pretty well for us,” he said.
Looking ahead, the Lions plan to build on this season’s defensive strengths while addressing offensive challenges—particularly the passing game. With 17 players expected to return, including multiple freshmen who contributed throughout the year, Giesen believes the foundation is finally in place for sustained growth. “We want to throw the ball better. We just didn’t have the ability to really do that this year,” he said. “But we established our running game, we’ve got some big kids, and now we can expand that passing game while keeping the run as our cornerstone.” As the Lions shift into offseason mode, the path forward looks clearer—and considerably more promising—than it has in years.
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