Minster 31 – Rockford 7

The Wildcats of Minster battled their way over cold, slippery, snow-covered turf and through a heavy wind to whip the Rockford Tigers in the season finale 31-7.

The Wildcats started the scoring the first time they got possession. Doc Hogenkamp took the ball on a double reverse and went 46 yards for a touchdown on the fifth play of the game. Burger’s kick was wide.

The locals went ahead 13-0 late in the initial period. A 40-yard Hogenkamp to Eddie Garmann pass set the stage for Rolly Bernhold to flip a nine yard pass to Virgil Huelskamp for the score. Burger’s kick was perfect.

Rockford picked up its score after intercepting a Wildcat pass. The hard running of Tiger halfbacks Secrist and Shively highlighted the march that was climaxed by Shively’s 12-yard jaunt for the tally. A Dugan to Secrist pass made it 13-7.

The Rockford line was deadly in the third quarter as they broke through time and again to stop Minster ball carriers before they could get started. Two costly fumbles by Rockford stopped their scoring threats.

The Wildcats came to life in the final period as Phil Wetzel began to eat up yardage. After picking up two straight first downs, Phil romped around end for 27 yards and a Minster score.

Minster scored again after Hogenkamp was pulled down from behind after picking up 46 yards to the Tiger 20. Wetzel put the ball on the one and Hogenkamp cracked over for his 14th touchdown of the season.

Minster’s final tally came after Dale Miller intercepted a Rockford aerial on the Tiger 25. A pass from Bernhold to Miller put the ball on the five from where Miller went over on the next play.

Don Kemper and Danny Bohman were stalwarts backing up the line. Don Brandewie was a pillar of strength in the middle of the Wildcat line, recovering two Rockford fumbles.

This was the last high school football game for the seniors, and also for German exchange student Alfred Burger. Burger’s kicking was little less than spectacular in his short tenure with the Wildcats.

Scoring by quarters:

Minster 13 0 0 18 — 31

Rockford 0 7 0 0 — 7