Streaking Wildcats Defeat Springfield Catholic Central 28-7

By Bruce Monnin

SPRINGFIELD — Last year the Minster Wildcats suffered through a season long losing streak. This year they are putting together a streak of a different kind, as they won their second game of the season over the perennial playoff qualifier Springfield Catholic Central Irish, 28-7.

“They have a very good ball team over there. If you look at history, they are 23-3 over the last two years and the last five years they made the playoffs,” explained Wildcat coach Eric Belcher. “That’s a tremendous program we got done playing and we were able to come away with a victory.”
 
Minster started fast. On the first play from scrimmage, Robert Gruber intercepted an Irish pass and returned it 23 yards to the 20-yard line. Four plays later Ty Whitford scored from 3 yards out. On the following extra point attempt, a bad snap led to possibly one of the longest conversion runs in Wildcat history, as Brian Mueller ran right, then cut back left, and finally wormed through traffic to score the two points.
 
After the Irish were held to three plays and a punt, Austin Baumer hit Reid Heitkamp for a 71-yard pass play which set up a later 10-yard touchdown run by Whitford. That put Minster ahead 14-0 less than six minutes into the game.
 
The Wildcats extended the lead in the second quarter when Whitford scampered 37 yards before fumbling the ball at the three-yard line. But lineman Evan Eshleman was hustling along with the play and recovered the fumble in the end zone for the third Minster score.
 
Minster dominated both offensively and defensively in the first half, putting up 242 yards while giving up only 43 yards to the Irish.
 
In the third quarter, a 46-yard pass from Baumer to Mueller set up the final Minster score, a two-yard Baumer run. Springfield Catholic Central added a touchdown in the fourth quarter to account for the final 28-6 score.
 

Next week Friday Minster (2-0) opens their home schedule by hosting the Delphos St. Johns Blue Jays who defeated them 26-21 last season.

SCORE BY QUARTERS
Minster   14  7  7  0  —  28
Springfield Catholic Central  0  0  0  6   —   6