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Columbus Scotus 2021’s multi-talented offense.
ALBION, NE.
Man, woman and child, do you mean murderous offensive behavior? You might look the distance and struggle to find one that surpasses “The Drive†that Columbus Scotus orchestrated late in the 3rd quarter against unbeaten Boone Central.
That deadly training stifled the life of the Boone Central defense and carried the undefeated Scotus to a 21-12 victory over the hard-hitting Cardinals.
We are talking about a 20 game player that consumed a monster ten minutes and six seconds. “The Drive” started at the Shamrocks’ 36-yard line with 2:08 left in the 3rd quarter and wasn’t over until 1,000-yard rusher Devon Borchers exploded for a win with a touchdown. 3 yards with 3:58 remaining in the 4th stanza.
The last time I witnessed a training of this magnitude was a few years ago in Minden, when Gothenburg had a second half, 26 training sessions that took over 12 minutes, or one whole football quarterback, then some.
This undefeated Class C-1 battle lived up to its pre-game billing, with football tipsters across central Nebraska predicting a low-scoring, hard-hitting defensive battle.
I knew precisely how tough these two teams were, having watched Columbus Scotus handle Wahoo 31-14 on opening night and then Boone Central knock down No.1 Pierce 35-33 on September 24.
Both teams had also been without starting quarterbacks recently, but Boone Central’s Braden Benes and Shamrocks Trenton Cielocha were healthy and eager to get into that baby.
Boone Central hit first after an interception from Jackson Roberts put the Cardinals on short ground on their own 48-yard line. Sophomore Parker Borer pulled off a 29-yard rush in a jet sweep around the left side of the Cardinals’ offense that led to the Scotus 27.
Two plays later, Alex Christo connected with the excellent two-way player Ashton Schafer for a 19-yard touchdown pass. The PAT attempt was blocked and Boone Central had a 6-0 lead with 2:26 remaining in the first quarter.
Much like an undefeated heavyweight fighter, Scotus rose from the ground and responded… in a hurry.
It only took two games for Scotus, young sharpshooter Trenton Cielocha, to get in touch with Chance Bailey, who had opened up in the middle of the pass.
On the fast-footed 5-9, 155 seniors grabbed the perfectly launched, tight spiral throw and passed the Cardinal defense, heading to the right pylon all the way for the score. Cielocha converted the PAT boot and Scotus led 7-6 with 1:47 left in the quarter.
The score stayed that way, the defenses beat it until Scotus went to Boone Central 13 where the drive stalled, forcing Scotus coach Tyler Linder to send the field goal unit.
Oh, but this Linder coach is a skillful operator, I don’t know. I had no idea what was to come and apparently neither did Boone’s defense, as starter Josh Faust took the snap in the middle, handed the ball over to QB Cielocha, who then found a wide open Garrett Oakley. for a 13-meter touchdown. .
Cielocha kicked PAT and the Rocks had a 14-6 lead with 6 minutes left in the 3rd quarter.
We talked about the heavyweight fight earlier and now it was Boone Central’s turn to rise from the green carpet and fight back. And they fought back.
In the possession that followed, the Cardinals set off the show ‘The Benes to Benes’ and how sweet it was. It only took 7 plays to get from Boone’s 21-yard line to Scotus’ end zone.
During that 79-yard drive, senior quarterback Braden Benes connected with sophomore Brant Benes (5-10, 150) for a 12-yard hook, then a massive 35-yard strike that carried the Scotus 38 to the 3-yard line.
Two plays later (after a 5-yard loss), Braden found younger brother Brant wide open for an 8-yard strike. The two-point conversion was cut short by the Rocks, and Boone Central was still lagging behind, but now only by a 14-12 count.
Now it was time for “The Drive”.
It started at the Scotus 36-yard line with 2:08 left in the 3rd quarter. You had to imagine Scotus was going to be doing “The Bull”, Devon Borchers. And ride it they did.
The powerful, load-laden Borchers made 12 plays on that memorable 20 plays, 64 yards, totaling 46 yards. Trenton Cielocha carried 5 times (his only rushes of the 2nd half) and there were a pair of passes, one incomplete and the other completed for less than 2 yards to Jack Faust.
And it did, in the 20th game of historic practice, Devon Borchers charged through the B-Gap on the right side and kept his legs strong for that massive 3-yard touchdown play.
Trenton Cielocha just like clockwork started the PAT and Scotus had Boone Central on the ropes, 21-12 with 3:58 to play in the contest.
Now you didn’t think that was the end of the story for the two unbeaten, did you? No chance. Not with Mark Hudson and the Boone Central Cardinals. Certainly not.
The Cardinals pulled off a shot after a touchdown put the ball on Boone’s 20-yard line with the 3:58 showing brighter than ever on the clock.
Benes pulled off a 9-yard gain on 29. He then connected with Carsten Bird for a 12-yard gain. Then it was a branch from Benes to Borer for 3 meters, then a 12 meter pass to Carsten Bird and finally a 2 meter pass to Calvin Webster.
The Cardinals were ready to strike, but Trenton Cielocha had other ideas as talented DB junior unleashed an antenna from Brandon Benes at the Scotus 21-yard line to seal the Shamrocks’ victory.
Scotus then missed the final 2 minutes and 9 seconds to seal the 21-12 victory over the Cardinals.
As far as defense goes, I don’t have official Scotus stats, but I do know Garrett Oakley was a beast on this side of the ball. As for Boone Central, the incredible Ashton Schafer had an incredible 17 tackles (7 solos) to lead the Cardinals. Jackson Roberts followed with 9 saves, Carson Miracle added 8 tackles and sophomore Brant Benes made 7 more tackles for the Cardinals.
I had too many distractions to keep offensive stats accurate, but I think the approximate total for Devon Borchers was 173 yards on 35 grueling carries. Big night for # 25.
……………………… 1 …… ..2 …… ..3 …… ..4 …… .Final
Columbus Scot … 7…… .0 …… ….. 7 …… … 7 …… ….. 21
Boone Central …… .. 6…… .0 …… …. 6…. …. 0 ……… ..12
……………………………………………………………………………………………………… … …… CS – BC
1st trimester
BC-Ashton Schafer 19 assist from Alex Christo – Blocked PAT kick (2:26) – 0 – 6
CS-Chance Bailey 64 assist from Trenton Cielocha – PAT-Cielocha kick (1:47) – 7 – 6
3rd trimester
CS-Garrett Oakley 13 assist from Cielocha – Kick PAT-Cielocha (6:00) – 14 – 6
4th quarter
BC-Brant Benes 8 assist from Braden Benes – PAT race failure (2:15) – 14 – 12
CS-Devon Borchers 3 run – Kick PAT-Cielocha (3:58) – 21 – 12
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