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MarshfieldAreaSports.com
SPENCER – A week after giving undefeated Amherst a run for their money before fading in the fourth quarter, the Spencer/Columbus Catholic pulled off a monumental victory on Friday night as it upended the No. 1-ranked team in the state in Division 7 Bangor with a 28-27 win at Spencer High School.
Brock Bennington ran for 223 yards and three touchdowns, and kicked a 43-yard field goal to lift the Rockets to the nonconference win. Spencer/Columbus, which scheduled this game earlier this week after Nekoosa had to forfeit the slated Central Wisconsin Conference Large Division game, is now 4-3 overall including the forfeit.
Spencer/Columbus led 16-15 at halftime after touchdown runs of 24 yards by Bennington and 12 yards by Will Gorst, and the long field goal by Bennington.
SC never trailed in the second half, but had to hold off blow after blow from Bangor (5-1).
Bennington had a 7-yard TD run in third quarter which was followed by a 64-yard touchdown run from Bangor’s Tanner Jones. Both teams missed extra points and the Rockets led 22-21 heading into the fourth.
Bennington added his third score from 13 yards out but Spencer/Columbus missed again on a two-point try.
Samuel Cropp had a 37-yard TD run for Bangor, but it’s two-point attempt to try to take the lead was thwarted with 8:04 remaining.
Bangor had one last chance to try to win it in the final minutes, but Spencer/Columbus’ defense stepped up and stopped the drive at the 40 in the final minute to preserve the victory.
“We are very proud of our guys’ effort tonight,” Spencer/Columbus coach Jason Gorst said. “We are getting better each and every week. It was a very memorable game and we are thankful that Bangor was willing to make the trip up. Sully Melander had a standout game as a guard and was a big key to our running game. Brock was a workhorse tonight.”
Spencer/Columbus plays a Central Wisconsin Conference Large Division game at Manawa on Friday, Oct. 1.
Rockets 28, Cardinals 27
Bangor 7 8 6 6 – 27
Spencer/Columbus 7 9 6 6 – 28
First Quarter
B – Ashton Michek 12 pass to Tanner Jones (Michek kick).
SC – Brock Bennington 24 run (Bennington kick).
Second Quarter
SC – Will Gorst 12 run (kick missed).
SC – Bennington 43 field goal.
B – Colten Brezany 67 pass from Michek (Jones run).
Third Quarter
SC – Bennington 7 run (run failed).
B – Jones 64 run (kick blocked).
Fourth Quarter
SC – Bennington 13 run (run failed).
B – Samuel Cropp 37 run (run failed).
Team Statistics
First downs: Bangor 13; Spencer/Columbus 17.
Rushing (att-yards): B 31-229; SC 52-301.
Passing (comp-att-yards-int): B 4-8-89-0; SC 1-4-0-0.
Total yards: B 318; SC 301.
Penalties (no.-yards): B 2-10; SC 2-20.
Fumbles (total-lost): B 3-3; SC 0-0.
Individual Statistics
Rushing: B, Tanner Jones 14-119, Samuel Cropp 16-94, Dawson Daines 1-16. SC, Brock Bennington 30-223, Will Gorst 15-60, Xane Adler 8-26, Cole Timmler 1-minus 6.
Passing: B, Asthon Michek 4-8-89-0. SC, Timmler 1-4-0-0.
Receiving: B, Colten Brezany 2-77, Jones 2-12. SC, Gorst 1-0.
Records: Bangor 5-1; Spencer/Columbus 4-3.