Columbus Scotus solid as a Rock(s) in season opening 31-14 win over Wahoo.

PAWNEE PARK, COLUMBUS, NE

Schools schedule Homecoming games in season openers these days and it appeared Columbus Scotus liked the idea because the Shamrocks were ready to rock and roll in their 2021 curtain raiser against perennial powerhouse Wahoo.

Scotus was more than ready for this baby, I’ll guarantee you. The last three meetings with the mighty Warriors ended in 0-40, 0-49 and 7-49 losses, all coming during the past two seasons. 2019 especially stung with a regular season shutout and the 7-49 first round playoff drubbing.

But head coach Tyler Linder and the Rocks were ready to roll in this season opener with two major weapons in the likes of All-State/Northern Illinois commit Garrett Oakley and 1000 yard rusher Devon Borchers. But it may have been a junior quarterback named Trenton Cielocha that stole much of the show on this warm, steamy night at beautiful Pawnee Park.

The defenses on both teams were definitely poised to stop the other’s thousand yard rusher in this game, Borchers (1,004) for Scotus and Colin Ludwig, who slithered for 1,474 yards a year ago. Both started the game in the same fashion….with a one yard loss on their first carry.

It was Scotus who struck first in this top notch battle, and it came on what seemed a routine pass out in the flat. But when the recipient is an All-State talent, magical things can happen….and did.

On his very first pass of the 2021 season, junior signal caller Trenton Cielocha took the snap from the Shamrocks 17, pivoted to his right, ran 4 steps and sailed a pass to Garrett Oakley at the 26 yard line.

Oakley outjumped Wahoo’s Zach Fox to haul in the floater and set sail down the east sideline. Speedy Malachi Bordovsky gave chase but dove and missed at the Warrior 40 and Colin Ludvig fell victim to a slick Oakley move at the Wahoo 26 and Garrett was off to an electrifying 83 yard touchdown reception/run.

Trenton Cielocha booted the PAT through the uprights with room to spare and Scotus had themselves a 7-0 lead just three minutes, 11 seconds into the contest.

Cielocha, the nephew of former state sprint sensation Mike Cielocha, had himself a Swiss Army Knife type of night before this one came to a close.

It didn’t take long for Wahoo to strike back. On the first play of the ensuing possession, Warrior back Gavin Pokorny, one of three excellent backs in that Wahoo stable, bolted through the Scotus defense for a slick 44 yard gain. The run carried from the Wahoo 36 all the way to the Rocks 20 yard line.

Two plays later, Colin Ludvig sliced through for an 8 yard TD, one of two for the pre-season All-State running back on the night. Brandon Hasenkamp booted the PAT and things were all square at seven with 7:32 left in the first quarter.

A Trenton Cielocha interception led to a 30 yard field goal by……...you guessed it, Trenton Cielocha with 25 seconds left in the first quarter to give Scotus a 10-7 lead after one quarter.

Both defenses tightened in the second stanza, with the only score coming on a one yard plunge by Trenton Cielocha (who else?). It was a 21-7 Shamrock lead at the half.

Both defenses really put the stops on Ludvig and Borchers respectively during the opening 24 minutes of play, especially Borchers, who managed just 17 yards on 8 carries in that first half. Ludvig fared a bit better, gaining 35 yards on 8 touches.

But Borchers DID hurt Wahoo on a spectacular flare pass out of the Scotus backfield when he caught the soft floater from Cielocha and made a sweet cutback move as he crossed the line of scrimmage, advancing 26 yards into Warrior territory, leaving five would be tacklers in his wake.

Scotus looked like they may put the game away on the opening drive of the third quarter. Devon Borchers ripped off runs of 24 and 9 yards, as the Shamrocks marched all the way from their 31 to the Wahoo 3 before losing a fumble to an inexplicable high snap over the head of Trenton Cielocha.

Wahoo escaped a bullet and wasted no time getting the ball to Colin Ludvig, who put on quite a running clinic. Ludvig, who is faster than a sneeze through a screen door, ripped off gains of 4, 12, 8, 10, 1 and 4 yards before QB Owen Hancock fired a pass that was picked off by…….oh yes, Trenton Cielocha, at the Scotus 11 yard line.

This time it would not be a wasted trip down the Pawnee Park artificial turf for a fired up Scotus team. It took just 3:36 seconds for Tyler Linder’s boys to drive it from the Scotus 11 to the Wahoo 4 as time ran out in the third quarter.

Devin Borchers then blew through a huge hole on the A-Gap/left side to score from 4 yards out on the opening play of the money quarter. While Garrett Oakley and Zane Beiermann were clearing out the left side, Alex Fergason and Cameron Houfek were sealing off the right, enabling Borchers to cruise in standing up.

Cielocha booted the PAT to give Scotus a commanding 24-7 lead, but was that enough against a team the caliber of Wahoo?

Nope.

The Warriors answered right back on the following possession and it took just FIVE plays with the sensational Colin Ludvig going the final 9 yards for the score. Hasenkamp kicked the Extra and Wahoo was back within 24-14 with a huge 9:14 left on the Pawnee Park clock.

Just like clockwork, Scotus answered the bell, driving 59 yards on just 6 plays and Devon Borchers was the shining star with a stunning 21 yard pass reception and a tackle-wrecking 20 yard power dash.

Borchers capped off the short, but lethal win-clinching drive with a 12 yard touchdown run that left the scoreboard reading Shamrocks 31, Wahoo 14 with 5:42 left until the Homecoming celebration.

Of course Wahoo responded by driving down the field, but the clock ran out with the Warriors being stopped at the Scotus 9 yard line.

Unofficially, Devon Borchers led the Scotus rushing attack with 142 yards on 20 attempts and a pair of touchdowns. The 5-11, 190 senior also grabbed two Trenton Cielocha aerials, good for 46 yards.

Speaking of Trenton Cielocha, the junior quarterback had a monster night passing, completing 12 of 18 throws, good for 290 yards and a touchdown. The talented Cielocha also booted 4 PATs, kicked a 30 yard field goal and picked off a pair of Owen Hancock passes.

Garett Oakley latched onto 4 passes for 110 yards and that sparkling 83 yard TD catch.

For Wahoo, the terrific Colin Ludvig racked up 133 yards on 20 carries and two touchdowns. Gavin Pokorny added 74 yards on just 7 totes. QB Owen Hancock completed 9 of his 18 passes for 101 yards. Malachi Bordovsky recorded 9 tackles for the Warriors on defense while teammates Gavin Pokorny and Curtis Swahn each had 4 stops.

Scotus will hit the road next Friday to meet 0-1 Omaha Concordia, who suffered a 68-0 loss to Lincoln Lutheran in their opener. Meanwhile, Wahoo will be on the road again next Friday to face powerful Adams Central, who pounded Holdrege 41-13 last Friday.

Expect this Wahoo team to bounce back to play very well the remainder of the 2021 season.

…………………………….........1……..2……..3……..4……Final

Wahoo (0-1)....................7……...0……..0……..7…….14

Columbus Scotus (1-0)..10……..7……..0…….14……31

1st Qtr. ............................................................................................................W-CS

CS-Garrett Oakley 83 pass from Trenton Cielocha..PAT-Cielocha kick (8:49) 0 - 7

W--Colin Ludvig 8 run………………….PAT-Branden Hasenkamp kick (7:32) 7 - 7

CS-Trenton Cielocha 30 yard Field Goal………………………………...(0:25) 7 - 10

2nd Qtr.

CS-Cielocha 1 run…………………………………...PAT-Cielocha kick...(7:12) 7 - 17

4th Qtr

CS-Devon Borchers 4 run…………………..…...PAT-Cielocha kick……(11:57) 7 - 24

W--Ludvig 9 run…………………………………….PAT-Hasenkamp kick.(9:12) 14 -24

CS-Borchers 12 run………………………………...PAT-Cielocha kick….(5:47) 14 - 31