Columbus stops Lakeview comeback

By Tom Mix

tmix@columbustelegram.com

COLUMBUS -- Both the Columbus High and Lakeview football teams were looking to turn their seasons around with a win to begin district competition Friday.

The Discoverers held on for the 20-14 win over the Vikings at Pawnee Park’s Memorial Stadium, but Lakeview is far from calling it a season.

Lakeview battled back from a 20-0 deficit, scoring two touchdowns in the second half, and had a chance to win the game in the final minute of regulation. Lakeview’s final drive ended without a score thanks to a stingy red-zone defensive stand by CHS.

That stop, along with another goal-line stand early in the second quarter by the Columbus defense, proved to be the difference in a game that was up for grabs nearly the entire second half.

The goal-line stand earlier in the game thwarted a 19-play drive by Lakeview preventing a 7-all tie and foreshadowed the even more crucial stop later in the game that prevented a Vikings victory.

“Our defense has had some issues the past couple of weeks,” said Williams, whose team improves to 3-4. “And nothing helps confidence more than stopping the other team on the goal line and holding them when they have a chance to tie the game.”

After Telegram Super Senior Michael Ziola connected with Tyler Vrba for a 53-yard touchdown pass to open the game’s scoring, Lakeview (1-6) began its marathon drive on its own 35-yard line.

The Vikings rattled off 16 consecutive running plays to get to the Discoverers’ 1-yard line.

With second-and-goal at the 1-yard line, Braulio Castillo was stuffed for no gain attempting to run between the tackles. Sophomore quarterback Cale Went called his own number, but again was held for no gain making it fourth-and-goal.

Vikings’ head coach Kurt Frenzen called a timeout to regroup, but Castillo’s sweep to the left was telegraphed by Columbus defensive end Grant Otten, who stopped the junior running back for a 4-yard loss.

Columbus was forced to punt on the next series, but CHS held Lakeview to a three-and-out to get the ball back.

The Discoverers marched down the field on a 13-play drive, capped by a 1-yard touchdown run by senior Garrett Birchem when CHS faced fourth-and-goal with one second remaining in the first half.

Lakeview opened the second half with another three-and-out, and then watched Columbus execute three consecutive direct snaps to Dillion Loschen, who totaled 21 yards rushing on the plays. Ziola then connected with Otten for a 27-yard touchdown pass, but the point-after attempt failed due to a missed snap.

At that point, Columbus had all the momentum and appeared to be on its way to a relatively stress-free win.

But a flurry of penalties, a turnover and a no-quit Lakeview team changed that.

The Vikings got on the board in the third quarter when Went rushed for a 5-yard touchdown.

Penalties kept Columbus from building any substantial drives for most of the second half. CHS was whistled for 12 penalties for 115 yards during the game.

If the penalties weren’t enough, Ziola threw an interception snared by Witt Rodehorst.

Lakeview made the turnover sting by scoring a second touchdown on 3-yard run by Castillo early in the fourth quarter.

With the walls caving in on it, Columbus managed to mount a drive that ended with a missed 30-yard field goal by Ziola, giving the Vikings 2:58 to win the game.

Went completed four passes and led Lakeview into the red zone, but a incomplete pass on fourth down ended the comeback that impressed Frenzen.

“We did a great job of fighting back after being down three scores,” Frenzen said. “We were in great position to win the game, but we just couldn’t capitalize.

“As long as our kids come out with the attitude they showed tonight, I like our chances the next two games.”

Lakeview’s comeback didn’t go past Williams’ radar either.

“I can’t say enough about coach Frenzen and Lakeview,” Williams said. “They could have packed it in after being down 20-0, but we didn’t expect them to do that.”

Lakeview hosts York and Columbus travels to Seward Friday. Both games are scheduled for 7 p.m.

Lakeview (1-6) 0 0 7 7 -- 14

Columbus (3-4) 7 7 6 0 -- 20

n SCORING SUMMARY: CHS -- Tyler Vrba 53-yard pass from Michael Ziola (Ziola kick); CHS -- Garrett Birchem 1-yard run (Ziola kick); CHS -- Grant Otten 27-yard pass from Ziola (point after attempt failed); LV -- Cale Went 5-yard run (Andrew Urkoski kick); LV -- Braulio Castillo 2-yard run (Urkoski kick good).

TEAM STATISTICS

LV CHS

First Downs 13 13

Rushes-Yards 44-139 33-158

Passing Yards 86 159

Passing (Comp-Att-Int) 6-14-0 11-22-1

Total Yards 225 317

Fumbles-Fumbles Lost 1-1 0-0

Punts-Avg. 4-36.3 4-48

Penalties-Yards 5-50 12-115

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

• RUSHING: LV -- Castillo 28-99; CHS -- Loschen 8-59, Birchem 4-26, Ziola 8-25.

• PASSING: LV -- Went 6-14-0-86; CHS �” Ziola 10-21-1-159

• RECEIVING: LV -- Justin Jazwick 2-34, Jordan Paben 1-30, Reece Klug 14; CHS -- Otten 5-56, Vrba 1-53, Derek Grutsch 1-15, Dean Shurter 2-16, Loschen 2-10.

• TACKLING: LV -- Castillo 10, Paben 10; CHS -- Trevor Went 19, Shurter 10, Grutsch 11, Zack Lindsley 11.