By Paul Lecker

Sports Reporter

AMHERST – The Spencer/Columbus Catholic football team had its superb 2017 season come to a crashing halt in the same way that it ended in the past two years – at the hands of Amherst.

Amherst cruised to a 49-18 victory over the Rockets in a WIAA Division 5 Level 2 football playoff game Friday night at Amherst High School.

The Falcons (10-1) move on to a Level 3 game Nov. 3 when they will host Stratford (9-2) at 7 p.m. Stratford knocked off No. 1 seed Stanley-Boyd 38-0 on Friday.

Spencer/Columbus finishes its season with a 9-2 record and suffered its third-straight playoff loss to Amherst. After losing the 2015 D-5 state championship to the Falcons, Spencer/Columbus was bumped out of the playoffs in Level 2 by Amherst last season as the Falcons were on their way to a second-straight state title.

“Amherst is still a top-notch team,” SC coach Jason Gorst said. “They are very good at what they do. I am proud of our guys, and especially our seniors. There are a lot of seniors around the state that wished they had the chance to be a part of 12 playoff games. We will miss them.”

Amherst quarterback Marcus Glodowski rushed for 277 yards and five touchdowns to lead the way for the Falcons. He had TD runs of 17, 79, 11, 65, and 14 yards in the win.

Glodowski had a 17-yard run to put Amherst up 8-0 early.

Spencer/Columbus countered when Hunter Luepke scampered 46 yards for a score, cutting the deficit to 8-6.

From there, it was all Amherst as the Falcons put up 28 unanswered points.

After an 85-yard kickoff return from Luepke, the Falcons scored two more touchdowns to put the game out of reach.

Luepke finished with 142 yards rushing and scored all three of the Rockets’ touchdowns. The senior and North Dakota State recruit finishes the season with 42 total touchdowns and 1,866 rushing yards.

In all, Amherst outgained the Rockets 491-194.