By Paul Lecker

Sports Reporter

SPENCER – The Spencer/Columbus Catholic football team opened up its 2015 season in grand fashion, scoring four first-half touchdowns and outgaining Fall Creek by more than a 2:1 margin in a decisive 42-8 victory on Friday night at Spencer High School.

Hunter Hildebrandt and Jonny Tomke each rushed for two touchdowns, and Noah Zastrow and quarterback Calvin Lenz added two more as the Rockets rolled in their season and Cloverbelt Conference opener.

S/C piled up 243 yards on the ground in a balanced attack that saw nine different players handle the ball. Hildebrandt had 65 yards, and Lenz and Zastrow each had 50 to lead the way. Lenz also added 106 yards passing on nine completions, with Austin Post grabbing four balls.

“We were penalty free in the first game of the year,” Spencer/Columbus coach Jason Gorst said. “That has been a point of emphasis and I am very impressed with the discipline of our young men. Anytime you can go penalty free is great. Doing it in the first game of the year is even better.”

Spencer/Columbus plays at defending conference champion Stanley-Boyd in its next game on Aug. 28.

Rockets 42, Crickets 8
Fall Creek 0 0 0 8 – 8
Spencer/Columbus 16 13 7 6 – 42
First Quarter
SC – Hunter Hildebrandt 7 run (Noah Zastrow run), 10:13.
SC – Jonny Tomke 7 run (Calvin Lenz run), 5:00.
Second Quarter
SC – Hildebrandt 9 run (pass failed), 11:50.
SC – Zastrow 5 run (Elijah Welsh kick), 0:23.
Third Quarter
SC – Lenz 7 run (Welsh kick), 4:03.
Fourth Quarter
SC – Tomke 36 run (kick missed), 11:46.
FC – Ryan Taitano 16 run (Ross Cornellison run), 3:50.
Team Statistics
First downs: Fall Creek 9; Spencer/Columbus 18.
Rushing (att-yards): Fall Creek 32-50; Spencer/Columbus 37-243.
Passing (comp-att-yards-int): Fall Creek 6-14-109-0; Spencer/Columbus 9-16-106-0.
Penalties (no.-yards): none.
Fumbles (total-lost): none.
Punting (no.-avg.): Fall Creek 2-15.5; Spencer/Columbus 2-23.0.
Individual Statistics
Rushing: FC, Ryan Taitano 10-36, Tanner Kurth 4-14, Ross Cornellison 3-5, No. 5 (no name reported) 1-1, Cody Folkers 8-0, Jake McInnis 6-minus 6. SC, Hunter Hildebrandt 10-65, Calvin Lenz 5-50, Noah Zastrow 8-50, Jonny Tomke 3-48, Hunter Luepke 6-27, Bubba Post 1-9, Austin Post 2-3, Carson Hildebrandt 1-1, Collin Nieman 1-minus 10.
Passing: FC, Folkers 6-13-109-0, Sawyer Rubeck 0-1-0-0. SC, Lenz 9-16-106-0.
Receiving: FC, Rubeck 4-88, Christian Lemay 1-17, McInnis 1-4. SC, A. Post 4-36, Luepke 3-68, H. Hildebrandt 2-2.
Punting: FC, Rubeck 2-15.5. SC, Zastrow 2-23.0.
Records: Fall Creek 0-1 overall and Cloverbelt Conference; Spencer/Columbus 1-0 overall and Cloverbelt Conference.