Rockets finish year 8-3

By Paul Lecker

Sports Reporter

AMHERST — The Spencer/Columbus Catholic football team’s season ended Friday the same way it did a year ago: with a loss to Amherst.

Amherst scored four first-half touchdowns — two coming on long passes from quarterback Brandon Piotrowski — and went on to a 42-14 win over the Rockets on Friday night in a WIAA Division 5 Level 2 playoff game at Amherst High School.

Amherst beat Spencer/Columbus in the WIAA Division 5 state championship game last season, 42-0.

The Rockets’ season ends with an 8-3 record. Amherst improves to 10-1 and moves on to a Level 3 game at home on Nov. 4 against Winnebago Lutheran. Winnebago Lutheran beat Southern Door 10-7 on Friday.

Amherst scored quickly as Brandon Piotrowski threw a 76-yard touchdown pass to Marcus Glodowski just 49 seconds into the game.

The Falcons added two more scores in the first quarter before Spencer/Columbus got on the board in the second.

Noah Zastrow caught a 33-yard pass from Jarred Mandel to cut the Falcons’ lead to 21-6 3:03 into the second quarter, and that scored held until the waning seconds of the half when Piotrowski connected with Josh Cisewski for a 79-yard touchdown.

Amherst pushed its lead to 42-6 before Carson Hildebrandt scored midway through the fourth quarter for the Rockets.

Zastrow finished with 128 yards rushing and the long touchdown reception for the Rockets.

“I am really proud of our guys this season,” Spencer/Columbus coach Jason Gorst said. “We got down early but kept on competing. Their work ethic and character will take them far in life. It has been a pleasure coaching them.”

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

Falcons 42, Rockets 14

Spencer/Columbus 0 6 0 8 – 14

Amherst 21 7 7 7 – 42

First Quarter

A – Marcus Glodowski 76 pass from Brandon Piotrowski (Carter Zblewski kick), 11:11.
A – Piotrowski 2 run (Zblewski kick), 5:18.
A – Glodowski 1 run (Zblewski kick), 1:29.

Second Quarter

SC – Noah Zastrow 33 pass from Jarred Mandel (run failed), 8:57.
A – Josh Cisweski 79 pass from Piotrowski (Zblewski kick), 0:27.

Third Quarter

A – Devin Ostrowski 3 run (Zblewski kick), 2:11.

Fourth Quarter

A – Ostrowski 12 run (Zblewski kick), 9:16.
SC – Carson Hildebrandt 15 run (Hunter Luepke run), 7:24.

Team Statistics

First downs: Spencer/Columbus 13; Amherst 16.

Rushing (att-yards): SC 38-218; A 40-201.

Passing (comp-att-yards-int): SC 5-11-86-0; A 8-13192-0.

Penalties (no.-yards): SC 5-35; A 5-30.

Fumbles (total-lost): SC 3-3; A 0-0.

Punting (no.-avg.): SC 3-19.3; A 4-29.8.

Individual Statistics

Rushing: SC, Noah Zastrow 22-128, Hunter Luepke 11-64, Carson Hildebrandt 3-21, Leonardo Rodriguez 1-5, Andres Rodriguez 1-0. A, Devin Ostrowski 17-81, Brandon Piotrowski 13-51, Marcus Glodowski 5-45, Chandler Benn 1-13, Aiden Elwood 3-7, Josh Cisewski 1-4.

Passing: SC, Zastrow 3-5-48-0, Jarred Mandel 2-6-38-0. A, Piotrowski 8-13-192-0.

Receiving: SC, Luepke 3-48, Zastrow 1-33, Hildebrandt 1-5. A, Glodowski 4-94, Cisewski 2-84, Joshua Schude 1-8, Ostrowski 1-6.

Punting: SC, Luepke 3-19.3. A, Bryce Holderman 2-29.5, Glodowski 1-35.0, Piotrowski 1-25.0.

Records: Spencer/Columbus Catholic 8-3; Amherst 10-1.