By City Times staff

SPENCER – The Spencer/Columbus Rockets shot past Arcadia Oct. 19 as the high school football playoffs got underway. The Rockets won 47-8 to advance to level two Oct. 26 versus Bloomer.

“It all kind of started with our run defense”, S/C Head Coach Jason Gorst said. “We weren’t giving up too much when it came to yards and first downs. A lot of three-and-outs, and we were able to get the ball back, and then our run game was especially effective. I thought we blocked well, both up front and down field. And, I thought our running backs ran hard and really cut well.”

S/C took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter on a four-yard TD run by Carson Hildebrandt. The Rockets then opened the game up with 19 second-quarter points. Austin Bacon scored on a nine-yard run to make it 14-0. Then, Hayden Bauman’s big night got going. Quarterback Jarred Mandel connected with Bauman on a 37-yard scoring strike, followed by touchdown runs of 27 and 65 for Hayden, who led the Rockets with 137 yards rushing and two touchdowns on eight carries for Coach Gorst.

“I thought he ran very hard and had great vision, and was able to make some pretty good cuts,” Gorst stated.

Mandel also connected with tight end Ethan Meece on a three-yard touchdown, and Eden Jacobson added a 55-yard rushing touchdown.

It was the defense that Coach Gorst said he especially pleased with, allowing just one yard of total rushing by Arcadia.

“Our defensive linemen were firing off the ball and getting into their offensive line pretty well,” he said. “Our linebackers were really getting downhill making plays. We were able to contain the edge and fill all the gaps in-between. I thought it was just a real physical performance, and I just liked the way we got off the ball.”

S/C outgained Arcadia 465-104. Hildebrandt had 13 carries for 114 yards and a score. Bacon carried the ball 11 times for 92 yards and a touchdown.

The Rockets will host No. 4 Bloomer Oct. 26 at Ted Fritsch Field in Spencer in level two of the WIAA Division 5 football playoffs.