This story is sponsored by: Stephanie Spaeth, REALTOR/Owner, NextHome Hub City
By Steve Pilz
For MarshfieldAreaSports.com
SPENCER – A shut-down first quarter had the hometown Spencer/Columbus Catholic Rockets thinking big until a deluge of points near the end of the first half buoyed visiting Colby to what turned into a 41-0 rout spoiling SC’s home opener at Ted Fritsch Field on Friday night, vaulting the defending Division 6 state champion Hornets to a 2-0 start.
Both teams punted twice in the opening quarter and SC even reached as far as the Hornets’ 23 before giving it back on downs to open the second period.
Then Colby had its first sustained drive of the game.
Taking over at their own 29, the Hornets marched down the field with the big gain being a 30-yard pitch and catch from quarterback Tucker Meyer to Tevin Rue. Caden Healy found pay dirt from the 3 culminating a 12- play drive with just 4:20 left in the half to get Colby off and running.
A three-and-out by the Rockets was all the momentum the Hornets needed. Meyer hit Rue again on the first play of the drive, this time for 35 yards. Ivan Haemer crashed in from the 1 two plays later to make it 14-0.
Another three and out spelled doom for the Rockets.
Healy took the ball from Meyer on a draw on third-and-5 and went 42 yards with just 18 seconds left in the half to make it 21-0.
The second half was equally depressing for the Rockets as they could generate very little offense while the Hornets opened the quarter with a 9-play drive that ended with Meyer hitting Rue for a 5-yard scoring strike.
Spencer/Columbus picked up a couple first downs and got into Colby territory, but when quarterback Isaac Mauritz’s pass bounced of his receiver, Mateo Lopez was there to nab it out of the air and rumble 70 yards with the interception for another score.
Haemer’s 34-yard rushing TD put the end to the scoring to open the fourth quarter which went by in a flash with the clock running.
“I thought we played tough in the first quarter,” said SC coach Jason Gorst, “and had some defensive stops early in the game, but at this point they’re just a better football team than us. We just have to continue to work to improve.
“Right now, we’ll have to check some of our injuries and things like that. We have to go into it with the next guy up mentality. We have to re-group a bit and stick to the fundamentals and get ready for Wittenberg/Birnamwood.”
Spencer/Columbus (0-2) opens its Central Wisconsin Conference Large Division schedule at home in Spencer against Wittenberg-Birnamwood (2-0) on Sept. 2.
Hornets 41, Rockets 0
Colby 0 21 13 7 – 41
Spencer/Columbus Catholic 0 0 0 0 – 0
Second Quarter
C – Caden Healy 3 run (Tucker Brost kick), 4:20.
C – Ivan Haemer 1 run (Brost kick), 1:41.
C – Healy 42 run (Brost kick), 0:18.
Third Quarter
C – Tevin Rue 5 pass from Tucker Meyer (Brost kick), 7:25.
C – Mateo Lopez 70 interception return (Kick blocked), 3:24.
Fourth Quarter
C – Haemer 34 run (Brost kick), 9:20.
Team Statistics
First downs: Colby 11; Spencer/Columbus 8
Rushing (att-yards): C 34-182; SC 30-100.
Passing (comp-att-yards-int): C- 5-8-1-86; SC 10-12-1-89.
Total yards: C 268; SC 189.
Fumbles (total-lost): C 0-0; SC 4-0.
Penalties (no-yards): C 1-5; SC 5-30.
Individual Statistics
Rushing: C, Caden Healy 15-102, Haemer 12-48, Rue 7-28. SC, Sully Melander 15-54, Carter Luepke 6-22, Kyle Nieman 3-8, Isaac Mauritz 3-5, Landon Behselich 5-0.
Passing: C, Tucker Meyer 5-8-1-86. SC, Mauritz 8-10-1-86, Teddy Meyer 2-2-0-3.
Receiving: C, Rue 3-70, Kaden Weise 1-11, Healy 1-5. SC, Behselich 5-28, Melander 3-35, Nieman 2-26.
Records: Colby 2-0; Spencer/Columbus 0-2.