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By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
SPENCER – As expected at this point in the football season, Spencer/Columbus will face a formidable opponent in its next playoff game.
For the first time this season, however, the Rockets will see a true balanced offense.
Spencer/Columbus (8-3) will play at Little Chute (9-2) in a WIA Division 4 Level 3 playoff at 4 p.m. Saturday at Little Chute High School. The game will be broadcast on WOSQ-FM 92.3 and wdlbwosq.com.
The Rockets defense has been stingy all season long, giving up more than 20 points just three times, but they did win two of those, including last week’s 28-27 Level 2 win at Wautoma.
This week will provide a different challenge in that Little Chute throws the ball nearly as much as it runs it.
Senior quarterback Sam Merryfield has 258 pass attempts for the Mustangs and has been one of the most efficient signal-callers in the state.
Merryfield has completed 65 percent of his passes for 2,231 yards and 20 touchdowns, while throwing just four interceptions. His yardage total ranks eighth in all of Wisconsin, and his favorite receiver, Scott Hietpas, is tied for 11th in the state with 62 catches, and ranks ninth with 973 receiving yards. He has caught 11 of Merryfield’s 20 TD passes.
Oh, and the Mustangs have a pretty good running game, too. Senior Shane Schwaller has 976 yards and 20 touchdowns. He had 127 yards on the ground and three touchdowns, and caught another, in last week’s 35-8 win over Bangor.
The challenge will be a stiff one for the Rockets, but as has happened time and again this season, someone at some point makes a big play. With the game on the line last week against Wautoma, S/C came up with an interception and a stop on fourth down in the final seconds to preserve the win.
“We don’t have any reason to doubt that someone would step up and make a play,” Rockets coach Jason Grost said. “It’s not always pretty, but they make that key play. These kids have a lot of character, a lot of heart.”
Spencer/Columbus will try to control the ball again like it did last week and keep it away from Little Chute’s high-powered offense.
Three of the Rockets’ four scoring drives were 11 plays or longer, and all four went for 70-plus yards.
The three-headed rushing attack of Mitch Susa, Tyler Voda and Hunter Hildebrandt combined for 235 yards on 38 carries.
WIAA DIVISION 4 LEVEL 3 PLAYOFF
SPENCER/COLUMBUS ROCKETS AT LITTLE CHUTE MUSTANGS
Game time: 4 p.m. Saturday
Radio: WOSQ-FM 92.3 and wdlbwosq.com.
| Teams | S/C | LC |
| Records | 8-3 | 92 |
| Points for avg. | 27.0 | 33.2 |
| Points against avg. | 17.6 | 15.5 |
| Rushing avg. for | 239.5 | 159.3 |
| Passing avg. for | 80.4 | 204.5 |
| Rushing avg. against | 129.6 | 85.8 |
| Passing avg. against | 105.9 | 116.1 |
| All-time playoff record | 5-5 | 8-16 |