Taylor Smith, Sports EditorÂ
On Friday, the Cowboy football team won their first postseason game since 2011. Facing the Columbus Catholic Sailors on the road in Waterloo, the 6-3 Cowboys didn’t let an hour-long transformer delay distract them from the mission at hand.
They scored 20 points in the 2nd quarter alone and went on to win, 48-27.
The Cowboys won the toss and gave Columbus Catholic the ball to start the game. Cowboy defensive back Selvin Gonzalez caught a Cooper Nosbush tip for an interception, and CGD took over on offense.
Late in the 1st quarter, tight end Huxley Lingenfelter caught an 11-yard pass from Kolton Hefti. A play later, Colin Sesker rattled off a 15-yard run, and Hefti later punched it in on a keeper from 8-yards out to start the 2nd quarter with the first score from either team.
The Cowboys got the ball back again after the defense did their thing, and Joel Meier had a 20-yard run. Sesker later scored from 6-yards out to give CGD the 12-0 lead.
Columbus Catholic’s passing offense came alive in the 2nd quarter, and quarterback Amani Robinson threw a dime to Owen Hosch for a 47-yard touchdown.
The Cowboys responded by handing the ball to Gonzalez. He ran for 103-yards in the 1st half and scored on a 6-yard sweep to put CGD up, 20-6.
Columbus Catholic had another huge passing play late in the 2nd quarter, but a tackle from Sesker prevented them from scoring.
CGD continued their balanced running attack in the 2nd half. Their opening drive lasted 5:36 and culminated in a 5-yard TD run from Meier.
Later, Paxton Lingenfelter caught his third interception of the year and nearly took it back for a touchdown. Easton Beyer scored on a 1-yard dive to give CGD the 34-6 advantage.
The Cowboys would go on to win, 48-27.
Gonzalez finished with a career-high 190 yards on the ground. He averaged 9 yards per carry and scored two touchdowns and a two-point conversion. On defense, Selvin recorded 5.5 tackles, a sack, and an interception.
Sesker had a 51-yard rushing touchdown in the 4th quarter. He had 95 yards, two touchdowns, and five solo tackles in the win.
The Cowboys have moved on to the round of 16, where they will face undefeated (1A) #2 Grundy Center at Spartan Stadium.
The Spartans defeated CGD, 56-8 on September 26th in Clarion.
