This story is sponsored by: All Insurance of Marshfield
By Steve Pilz
For MarshfieldAreaSports.com
SPENCER – The Manawa Wolves made their way to Spencer’s Ted Fritsch Field on Friday night and quickly put a damper on the Rockets’ Senior Night festivities, putting up a three-touchdown lead with just under 15 minutes to play.
But somebody forgot to tell the Wolves that there are four quarters to each game, or in this case, a little more.
Led by Eden Jacobson’s four-touchdown performance, the Rockets pulled out an improbable double-overtime, 51-49 comeback win to improve to 2-0 in the Central Wisconsin Conference Large Division this season.
Jacobson’s game-tying touchdown in regulation came from the hand of quarterback Gage Stratman from 20 yards out with just 3 seconds on the clock, forcing the extra sessions.
Jacobson rushed 128 yards on 29 carries and three touchdowns, and caught nine passes for 48 yards and the tying TD.
Manawa quarterback Mason Wiesner was equally impressive, racking up 122 yards on just seven attempts, and two scores, while throwing two scoring strikes on his way 107 yards through the air.
In fact, Wiesner started the scoring with a 52-yard run halfway through the first quarter.
S/C answered that with a picture-perfect counter-trap that saw Dominic Post bolt 58 yards to tie it up. The Wolves scored twice more to take a 21-7 lead into the half.
They upped their lead to 21 when Wiesner found Riley Krenke on a 32-yard scoring strike for a three TD lead.
Then Manawa let down its guard and inexplicably tried a fake punt that failed. Jacobson found pay dirt just three pays later from the six and the momentum started to swing.
A funky kick nestled just beyond the first line of the kick-off receive team and SC jumped on it.
It was Post again three plays later, this time from 19 yards out and the Rockets had closed the gap to seven at 28-21.
Wiesner stopped the bleeding on the first play of the fourth quarter galloping in from 20 yards away, but Jacobson crashed in from the 2-yard line five minutes later to cut the lead down once again.
The Wolves shot themselves in the foot with a couple personal fouls in the final 12 minutes and the Rockets made the most of it.
The Rockets lined up for a fourth and goal at the Manawa 20 with 11 seconds to play. Stratman dropped back and put it right in the middle of the end zone, where Jacobson boxed out the defender who was eventually draped all over him, and hauled in the game-tying pass. The PAT was blocked and the teams headed to overtime.
The Wolves had first crack at it and Deion Stroud ran 18 yards for the go-ahead score. Bryan Griffin ran in the PAT and it was the Rockets turn.
Will Gorst ripped off a 20-yard run and Jacobson scored his third TD on a 5-yard blast up the middle. He scored the PAT on a run as well and the teams headed for double OT.
SC led off this time and was penalized twice, and put in a hole with fourth-and-six at the 21. Stratman cooly retreated in the pocket and found Will Schlafke running free in the back of the end zone for a go-ahead touchdown. Jacobson ran in the important PAT and the Wolves needed to score and go for two to make it to another extra period.
Stroud again bulled his way in, this time from the 20, but the Wolves went to the well once too often and Stroud was stumped before the goal line and the Rockets had their victory.
“We are extremely proud of these young men,” said S/C coach Jason Gorst. “They showed a lot of heart in coming from behind and never giving up. Gage (Stratman) made some clutch throws. Eden (Jacobson) ran hard, and Max McGiveron and Dominic Post had break out games. Will Schlafke also had a couple very clutch plays.”
Spencer/Columbus will host fellow unbeaten Stratford next Friday, Oct. 9, at 7 p.m. at Spencer High School. The game will be live-streamed on zaleskisports.com/live-sports and we will have full coverage here at MarshfieldAreaSports.com.
Rockets 51, Wolves 49 (2 OT)
Manawa 7 14 7 7 8 6 – 49
Spencer/Columbus 0 7 14 14 8 8 – 51
First Quarter
M – Mason Wiesner 52 run (Wiesner kick), 6:44.
Second Quarter
S – Dominic Post 58 run (Gage Stratman kick), 7:51.
M – Deion Stroud 39 run (Wiesner kick), 5:03.
M – Nick Gorman 40 pass from Wiesner (Wiesner kick), 0:53.
Third Quarter
M – Riley Krenke 32 pass from Wiesner (Wiesner kick), 7:23.
S – Eden Jacobson 6 run (run failed), 2:45.
S – Post 19 run (Stratman run), 1:43.
Fourth Quarter
M – Wiesner 20 run (Wiesner kick), 11:52.
S – Jacobson 2 run (Jacobson pass from Stratman), 6:42.
S – Jacobson 20 pass from Stratman (kick blocked), 0:03.
First Overtime
M – Stroud 18 run (Bryan Griffin run).
S – Jacobson 5 run (Jacobson run).
Second Overtime
S – Will Schlafke 21 pass from Stratman (Jacobson run).
M – Stroud 20 run (run failed).
Team Statistics
First downs: Manawa 14; Spencer/Columbus 26.
Rushing (att-yards): M 27-309; SC 61-378.
Passing (comp-att-yards-int): M 6-15-107-0; SC 13-17-107-0.
Total yards: M 416; SC 485.
Fumbles (total-lost): M 0-0; SC 0-0.
Penalties (no.-avg.): M 7-50; SC 12-95.
Punting (no.-avg.): M 3-49.7; SC 4-25.5.
Individual Statistics
Rushing: M, Deion Stroud 14-129, Mason Wiesner 7-122, Grant Bristol 2-34, Bryan Griffin 4-24. SC, Eden Jacobson 29-128, Dominic Post 12-117, Max McGiveron 13-90, Will Forst 2-25, Gage Stratman 5-18.
Passing: M, Wiesner 6-15-107-0. SC, Stratman 13-17-107-0.
Receiving: M, Riley Krenke 4-79, Bristol 2-28. SC, Jacobson 9-48, Post 2-12, Will Schlafke 2-47.
Records: Manawa 1-1 overall and Central Wisconsin Conference Large Division; Spencer/Columbus 2-0 overall and Central Wisconsin Conference Large Division.