Record Breaker

09/18/2024 08:00 AM

Wildcats roll up 82 points in route of Eagles

HARTINGTON — Cole Heimes scored four touchdowns in the first 12 minutes, his brother Jason scored three times in the last 12 minutes and in between, Hartington-Newcastle scored five times to take care of Lutheran High Northeast 82-0 here at Russ Hochstein Field Friday night.

To say things “snowballed” on the Eagles would be a vast understatement.

“I know this is going to sound kind of cliche’ but that’s a good football team over there,” Hartington-Newcastle coach Rusty Fuller said, pointing at the Lutheran High huddle after the game. “We just got things rolling and took over the game, we’re probably not that good and they definitely aren’t that bad. It was just our night.”

A packed Homecoming crowd enjoyed the Wildcat scoring explosion, which was also a school record.

Cole Heimes, who would finish with five touchdowns and a 2-point conversion on the night, scored his first touchdown just under a minute and 30 seconds into the game from seven yards away to make it 6-0.

“Our line did a great job all night long,” Heimes said. “We had huge holes to run through and just had to follow the blocking.”

With 6:58 left in the first, Heimes was back in the end zone, capping off a 49-yard drive with a 1-yard plunge.

He found Brayden Lammers for a 2-point conversion pass and the Wildcats were on their way, 14-0.

Heimes would score on a 28-yard scamper and another plunge, this one from three yards and Hartington-Newcastle was up 28-0, still in the opening frame.

A 32-yard punt return would set the wildcats up at the Lutheran High 15 late in the first and Will Feilmeier took it from there for Hartington-Newcastle, and with 46 seconds left in the quarter, the Wildcats lead was up to 36-0.

Heimes would score again to open the second then Feilmeier ran another one in from 15 yards out and the lead was 48-0.

Cole Rosener took a turn with 24 seconds left in the half when he scored from the four to make it 54-0 heading into the intermission.

“It was like Cole (Heimes) said, our line did a great job,” Rosener said. “It’s a lot of fun to run behind those guys, they make it pretty easy.”

Rosener, a senior, is in his first season of varsity football after spending his first three falls in high school running cross country.

“I’m really glad I decided to play football this year,” he said. “It’s been a lot of fun, but we still have a lot to do before we’re done here.”

Rosener came into the game with the Eagles averaging over 200 yards in his first two games of the season.

After the break, Hartington-Newcastle scored once in the third quarter with the continuous clock running on another Rosener run then Jason Heimes took over in the fourth.

Cole’s little brother scored from 38, 7 and 3 yards and after three successful extra point kicks by Kayne Gratzfeld, the final score was set.

“We were more passing last year and we’re transitioning to more running this season,” Cole Heimes said.

“And to put up a zero on their side of the scoreboard is incredible, we really shut them down.”

Heimes is averaging in excess of 100 yards on the ground per game himself and likes the chance to carry the ball.

“All I really care about is the scoreboard and making certain we are in front of the other team,” he said. “But I like to run the ball.”

After Heimes scored five times in the first quarter, Will Feilmeier got into the act with with a 15-yard sprint around the Eagle defense which made it 36-0 heading into the second 12 minutes.

Fellmeier would score from 15 yards away after Heimes scored his sixth touchdown before the half then Rosener had back-to-back touchdowns one from the four with 24 seconds left in the half and one after the intermission from the five.

And after a 4-5 season last year which saw the Wildcats lose in the opening round of the playoffs, Heimes and company plan to extend this senior season.

“We want to get to the state finals,” Heimes said. “That’s our goal and we believe we can get there.”

The Wildcats are scheduled to be back in action Sept. 20 when they will travel to take on 1-2 Niobrara/ Verdigre.

LHNE (1-2) 0 0 0 0 - 0 H-N (3-0) 36 16 7 21 - 82 FIRST QUARTER H-N: Cole Heimes 7 run, run failed, 10:32. 6-0.

H-N: C. Heimes 1 run, Brayden Lammers pass from C. Heimes, 6:58. 14-0.

H-N: C. Heimes 28 run, Cole Rosener run, 3:29. 22-0.

H-N: C. Heimes 3 run, run failed, 2:35.

28-0.

H-N: Will Feilmeier 15 run, C. Heimes run, :46. 36-0.

SECOND QUARTER H-N: C. Heimes 21 run, pass failed, 11:03. 42-0.

H-N: Feilmeier 15 run, kick failed, 5:26.

48-0.

H-N: Rosener 4 run, kick failed, :24. 54-0.