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OSMOND - In what is a new cooperative venture between the two schools, the Wausa/Osmond Vikings entertained the Hartington-Newcastle Wildcats here Oct. 4.
The Wildcats proved to be a little inhospitable, though, turning back the Vikings 56-14 to sour their Homecoming celebration.
The win puts the Wildcats at 5-1 on the season and clinches a spot in the Class D1 playoffs later in the month.
“We played tremendous on defense and special teams and we had a lot of explosive plays for touchdowns especially right away in the second half,” Wildcat coach Rusty Fuller said. “Kuddos to Coach (Corey) Uldrich on his adjustments on offense at halftime.”
The scoring explosion started from the opening kickoff when Cole Rosener scooped up the kick and sped 67-yards for a touchdown just 11 seconds into the game. After Cole Heimes ran in the conversion, Hartington-Newcastle was up 8-0 A little over three minutes later, Heimes was back in the end zone, this time for six points on an 8-yard scamper. He found Ashton Wakeley on a conversion pass and the score was 16-0.
Still in the opening 12 minutes, Heimes took off for the second, of what would be four rushing touchdowns on the night, this one from 27 yards out and after he found Will Feilmeier on the 2-point pass, the Wildcats were up 24-0 heading into the second stanza.
After A Wausa/Osmond touchdown, Heimes rambled in from the 14 and the teams went to the halftime huddle with HNS up 30-6.
After the halftime offensive adjustments Fuller referred to in his comments, the Wildcats came out of the intermission with their “hair on fire” and scored four third-quarter touchdowns to put the game away.
Rosner hauled in a 40 yard pass from Heimes, Will Feilmeier collected one from Heimes from 31 yards out then a Heimes bolt to the end zone with 7:43 still left in the quarter from 21 yards away and the score was 50-6.
Cole Bensen added his name to the “Cole” attack and stepped in front of a Viking aerial and returned it 47 yards for the Wildcats final score. Bensen ended the night with a couple of interceptions.
Wausa/Osmond added a cosmetic touchdown in the fourth and the final score was set.
Heimes had a great night on both sides of the ball, completing 3-of-5 passes for 92 yards and a couple of touchdowns, carried the ball 18 times for another 107 yards and the four TD’s and also had 18 tackles, including 10 solo stops and a tackle behind the line of scrimmage.
Bensen had a good night on the defensive end with the two interceptions and he was also in on 11 tackles and shared a sack with Colton Cavanaugh, Wakeley had the 2-point catch and 13 tackles including a sack, and Rosener had a fumble recovery.
“We look forward to improving this week against a tough Boyd County team,” Fuller said. “We’re a little banged up so we need to heal up a little.”
Boyd County brings a 4-2 record to Hartington on Oct. 11 to take on the Wildcats.
H-N (5-1) 24 6 26 0 - 56 W/O (2-4) 0 6 0 8 - 14 FIRST QUARTER H-N: Cole Rosener 67 kickoff return, Cole Heimes run, 11:49. 8-0. H-N: Heimes 8 run, Ashton Wakeley pass from Heimes, 8:34. 16-0. H-N: Heimes 27 run, Will Feilmeier pass from Heimes, 5:31. 24-0. SECOND QUARTER W/O: #11 10 run, conversion no good, 6:06. 24-6. H-N: Heimes 14 run, pass no good, 2:46. 30-6.
“We did some good things in the game, just not enough of them,” Carlson said. “You learn more from a loss than a win, so we’ll learn from this and move on. There is a lot of football left to be played. We’ll get back to work.”
The Trojans were set up on their own 45 on the kickoff after the touchdown on a nice return and a penalty on the Braves, but an incomplete pass, a two yard run and a sack by Battle Creek’s Conner Neuhalfen made it a three-and-out, but Trojan freshman, Micah Cattau got off a beautiful punt which pinned the Braves back at the three yard line.
“I’ve punted ever since I started playing football, pee wee football, junior high,” Micah Cattau said. “I have worked pretty hard on it and I just keep getting better. Our guys really get down there and cover really well and that’s what they did tonight. I just kicked the ball.”
“He lives under my roof so we work and talk about a lot of the little things that can turn into big things in a game,” Cattau, the coach said. “He had a good night punting tonight and we needed that to get through this game.”
The Cedar Catholic defense forced a three-and-out and the Trojans offense got the ball back at the Battle Creek 48.
Reifenrath took off on a nifty 22-yard run and a penalty was called again on the Braves during the run and the Trojans were in the red zone at the Braves’ 11.
Breiton Whitmire gained five yards on the first play from scrimmage after the Reifenrath run, then was held to no gain but picked up another five yards on a third down carry to leave the Trojans knocking at the door at the one.
“Our line really blocked well all night,” Whitmire said. “I just followed what they opened up. I just had to make sure to protect the ball and trust those guys would open the holes and they did.”
Reifenrath did the honors from there and got in the end zone for the second time of the night with 5:19 remaining in the game.
He also ran in the conversion to make get the score to the final, but the game was far from over.
Mettler hooked up with Gavin Korth on a 35-yard pass play when Battle Creek got the ball back, setting the Braves up in Cedar Catholic territory, but the Trojan defense stiffened.
Jaymison Cattau tipped a Mettler aerial in the air and the ball fell to the turf to turn the ball over on downs back to Cedar Catholic at the Trojan 15.
Battle Creek stalled the Trojan drive and Cedar Catholic kicked the ball back to the Braves for one last chance.
After an incomplete pass on first down, Mettler and Korth connected again for a 9-yard gain, but a deep pass as time expired went out of bounds and Cedar Catholic held on for the 21-14 victory.
Whitmire ran for 103 yards on his 19 carries while Refenrath ended the game with 95 yards on his 14 totes of the pigskin and scored twice on the ground.
Jaymison Cattau had a couple of catches including the touchdown.
Ryan Pick and Brady Hochstein led the Cedar Catholic defense with seven tackles each. Steffen had the sack and caused the ensuing fumble.
“This is just one game, but it was a big win for us,” Chad Cattau said. “We’ll get back to work now and get ready for next week, It’s never easy and next week will be another test.”
The Trojans will travel to 1-5 Ponca Oct. 11.
BC (5-1) 0 7 0 7 - 14 CC (5-1) 7 6 0 8 - 21 FIRST QUARTER CC: Braeden Reifenrath 1 run, Bodie Hochstein kick. 5:16. SECOND QUARTER CC: Jaymison Cattau 13 pass from Reifenrath, kick blocked. 6:45. BC: Casey Schnebel 90 kickoff return, Hudson Last kick. 6:28. FOURTH QUARTER BC: Noah Mahlin 33 pass from Jaxon Mettler, Last kick. 11:38. CC: Reifenrath 1 run, Reifenrath run. 5:19.
