This story is sponsored by: High Street Salon, Spa & Travel
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
SPENCER – The Spencer/Columbus Catholic football team won its first WIAA playoff game since 2006 last year, beating Peshtigo 13-6 in a Division 5 Level 1 game on the road.
Despite falling 33-15 to Stratford in a Level 2 contest, the experience of winning a playoff game has those returning for the Rockets wanting more.
“With the guys that played a role with that team, or those guys that were the backups, I think it really excited them,” said Jason Gorst, who is entering his third season as the Spencer/Columbus head coach. “They tasted winning and want more.
“We do have a lot of positions to replace, but I think guys are stepping up,” S/C coach Jason Gorst said. “I like our work ethic. I like how physical we play.”
Spencer/Columbus must replace 10 seniors, nine of which played key roles on both sides of the ball in 2012 for the Rockets, who finished 7-3 overall and 5-2 in the Cloverbelt Conference.
Among those gone are leading rushers Charlie Mayeux, Kaleb Miller and Eathen Aden.
Sophomore quarterback Calvin Lenz returns after starting the three games for the Rockets.
Joe Meyers, who moved from quarterback to receiver at the end of the season, will make another position change and start at tailback, along with Mitchell Susa. Junior Tyler Voda will be the fullback.
“We lost a lot of guys up front, we lost our entire backfield, but I think the next guys up have worked to get themselves in a good position,” Gorst said.
Gorst said Spencer Susa, a 280-pound senior, will anchor both the offensive and defensive lines and has shown that he is one of the best players at both positions in the conference.
Nick Johnson, a 235-pound senior, also returns to the offensive line for S/C.
“Last year we rotated eight guys through (the offensive line),” Gorst said. “We won’t quite have that rotation this year, but we’ll have some guys that will step up.”
Gorst said he expects Eau Claire Regis, Colby and the Rockets’ first opponent, Stanley-Boyd, to be at the top of an improved Cloverbelt.
“I feel like every team in the conference will be better than they were last year,” Gorst said. “How that works out in the standings, I don’t quite know.
“It would be huge to go there (Stanley-Boyd) and play a good football game…it would say a lot of where we are at. It’s a great test right away to find out if you are in with those upper-echelon teams, or if you at a different tier. After the game, we’ll pretty much know where we stand.”
Spencer/Columbus Football Schedule
| Fri., Aug. 23 | at Stanley-Boyd | 7 p.m. |
| Fri., Aug. 30 | *NEILLSVILLE | 7 p.m. |
| Fri., Sept. 6 | *COLBY | 7 p.m. |
| Sat., Sept. 14 | *ASHLAND | 1 p.m. |
| Sat., Sept. 21 | at Eau Claire Regis (Carson Park) | 1 p.m. |
| Fri., Sept. 27 | *ALTOONA | 7 p.m. |
| Fri., Oct. 4 | at Pittsville | 7 p.m. |
| Fri., Oct. 11 | at Osseo-Fairchild | 7 p.m. |
| Fri., Oct. 18 | &FALL CREEK | 7 p.m. |
Home games in CAPS
*at Spencer High School
&at Beell Stadium, Marshfield