By Paul Lecker

Sports Reporter

LITTLE CHUTE – Spencer/Columbus Catholic couldn’t hold on to a two-touchdown lead in the fourth quarter and fell to Little Chute in overtime 20-14 on Saturday in a WIAA Division 4 Level 3 matchup at Little Chute High School.

Noah Zastrow scored on a 19-yard touchdown for the Rockets with 43 seconds left in the first half following Little Chute’s third lost fumble of the half.

Two plays later, Tim Bauer intercepted a Sam Merryfield pass and returned it to the 3. On the final play of the half, Spencer/Columbus quarterback Calvin Lenz ran in from the 3 to put the Rockets on top 14-0.

Spencer/Columbus’ defense continued to play tough until the Mustangs finally got things going in the fourth quarter.

Dakota Farnsworth caught a 6-yard touchdown pass from Merryfield with 6:10 remaining, and after forcing a Rockets’ punt, the Mustangs tied the game on a 7-yard touchdown run by Shane Schwaller with 2:44 left.

Spencer/Columbus got the ball first in overtime, but could not score. Little Chute then went 25 yards in four plays, with Schwaller running in from the 3 to end the Rockets’ season.

Spencer/Columbus finishes with an 8-4 record after reaching Level 3 of the WIAA playoffs for the first time in the co-op’s 13-year history.

Little Chute (10-2) will play Lodi (11-1) in a Division 4 semifinal next weekend.

This story will be updated when complete statistics are available.

Mustangs 20, Rockets 14 (OT)
Spencer/Columbus 0 14 0 0 0 – 14
Little Chute 0 0 0 14 6 – 20
Second Quarter
SC – Noah Zastrow 19 run (run failed), 0:43.
SC – Calvin Lenz 3 run (Mitch Susa run), 0:00.
Fourth Quarter
LC – Dakota Farnsworth 6 pass from Sam Merryfield (Eric Hietpas kick), 6:10.
LC – Shane Schwaller 7 run (E. Hietpas kick), 2:44.
Overtime
LC – Schwaller 3 run.

(Hub City Times Sports Reporter Paul Lecker is also the publisher of MarshfieldAreaSports.com.)