This story is sponsored by: Chili Implement
By Steve Pilz
For MarshfieldAreaSports.com
SPENCER – Old rivals got together on the gridiron Friday night at Spencer’s Ted Fritsch Field, and in the end the home-standing Spencer/Columbus Catholic Rockets got the best of Stratford, downing the Tigers 27-7.
Spencer/Columbus kicked off but quickly set the tone by forcing the Tigers to go three-and-out.
The Rockets started from their own 21-yard line and marched methodically down the field, running 12 times and passing just once. Carson Hildebrandt lugged it four times for 25 yards and quarterback Jarred Mandel hit pay-dirt from five yards out at the 4:20 mark. Evan Dieringer tacked on the extra-point and the Rockets led 7-0.
The Tigers battled back and got a couple first downs before Max Schwabe’s pass was intercepted by Ethan Meese at midfield. Meese returned it to the Tigers 30 and the Rockets were in business again.
No ground and pound this time.
After an incomplete pass, junior back Austin Bacon got around the right end for a 22-yard scamper and a 14-0 first-quarter lead over the perennially-strong Tigers.
The Rockets are starting to compile a pretty impressive post-season resume’ of their own and it was clear that on this night, they meant business.
Trailing by two scores the Tigers had little choice but to get their act together and they did, putting together a 12-play drive that ended in a fake punt but they had at least delved into Rockets territory.
S/C took over on their own 32 and after losing eight yards on two plays, Mandel hit Bacon on a screen for 21 yards and a first down. Five plays later, Bacon, playing like a man possessed, bolted off left tackle and wasn’t seen again till the end zone, 37 yards later, and the Rockets were up 21-0.
After Kade Ehrike ripped off 17 yards, as the Tigers tried to answer, Schwabe dropped back to pass on the second play of the series. The ball was tipped up at the line of scrimmage and vaulted into the air when Bacon came screaming in to snatch it and haul it 42 yards for a 27-0 halftime lead for the Rockets.
“That’s a real good measuring stick for us,” S/C head coach Jason Gorst said. “I thought Stratford did a good job of adjusting to things we had success with early. They took that away some, but we had some dynamic plays, especially from Bacon, being opportunistic and seeing things. We’ll get into the film room and break things down, figure out what they did to stop us when they did and how we can get better.”
Getting better is one thing. Holding a good team scoreless for a half is another and that’s exactly what the Rockets did.
S/C played it pretty close to the vest in the second half.
Stratford’s Okley Wrensch picked off Mandel in the third quarter and the Tigers put together a pass happy-drive and scored with 8:24 left in the game when Schwabe hit Vaughn Breit from 16 yards out to provide the final score.
“As a head coach, I’m 1-5 versus my first-week opponent,” said Stratford coach Jason Tubbs. “I’ll take the responsibility. They are great kids and they worked hard, so 100 percent blame and that’s what a head coach should do. We’ll work harder and maybe we’ll get a chance to see them in the playoffs.”
Stratford hosts Antigo in another nonconference game for the Tigers next Friday, Aug. 24, at Tiger Stadium, while Spencer/Columbus will be home again for its Cloverbelt Conference-opener against Osseo-Fairchild.
Rockets 27, Tigers 7
Stratford 0 0 0 7 – 7
Spencer/Columbus 14 13 0 0 – 27
First Quarter
S/C- Jarred Mandel 5 run (Evan Dieringer kick) 4:20
S/C- Austin Bacon 23 run (Dieringer kick) 1:26
Second Quarter
S/C- Bacon 37 run (Dieringer kick) 2:56
S/C- Bacon 42 interception return (kick failed) 2:16
Fourth quarter
ST – Vaughn Breit 16 pass from Max Scwabe (Reed Curtis kick) 8:24
Team Statistics
First downs: ST 11; S/C 12.
Rushing (att.-yards): ST 28-72; S/C 40-201.
Passing (comp.-att.-yards-int.): ST 10-16-127-2; S/C- 3-7-35-1.
Penalties (no.-yards): ST 2-25; S/C 4-35.
Fumbles (total-lost): ST 1-1; S/C 0-0.
Individual Statistics
Rushing: ST, Kade Ehrike 12-69, Derek Marten 4-12, Devin Denee 2-7, Eli Drexler 3-5, Chase Flink 1-0, Schwabe 5-minus 20. S/C, Austin Bacon 9-84, Carson Hildebrandt 14-60, Jarred Mandel 3-17, Max McGiveron 2-12, Beau Gross 1-minus 1 Eden Jacobson 4-10, Hayden Bauman 5-10, Andres Rodriguez 2-8, Tyson McDonald 1-0.
Passing: ST, Schwabe 10-16-127-2; S/C, Jarred Mandel 3-8-30-1.
Receiving: ST, Ehrike 5-40, Marten 2-49, Breit 2-34, Okley Wrensch 1-4. S/C, Bacon 2-18, Hildebrandt 1-12.
Fumble recoveries (defense): S/C, Hildebrandt.
Interceptions (defense): ST, Wrensch. S/C, Ethan Meese, Bacon.
Records: Stratford 0-1; Spencer/Columbus 1-0.