Minster Repeats against Sidney Lehman, 33-15

By Bruce Monnin

MINSTER — Saturday night in Minster started with the arrival of the state championship Minster girls cross country team to town. It ended with the football team taking the first step towards trying to earn a trophy of its own.

After a fast start and a sluggish midgame, the Minster Wildcats pulled away to defeat the Lehman Catholic Cavaliers 33-15 in a rematch of Minster’s 44-21 victory over Lehman back in the second week of the season.

The Wildcats used the same offensive formula as in the earlier game, as Bryce Schmiesing rolled up 201 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries, with Jared Huelsman adding just enough passing to garner 124 more yards on just seven completions.

Defensively, Minster’s first team defense held Lehman to just 86 yards rushing and 163 total yards until the reserves took over near the end of the game.

“Our offensive line has done a nice job all year. Our defensive line also did a good job. We didn’t give up too many run yards. That was our big thing, to make them one dimensional. Our defense has been slowly getting better, which has been a big emphasis of ours,” noted Wildcat coach Geron Stokes.

“They are talented,” continued Stokes about the Cavaliers. “Their skill kids are capable. They are the type of kids who can go out in six plays and score six touchdowns. We just wanted to keep the ball in front of us and make them earn things. I think we did that.”

After the Minster defense shut down Lehman on their opening possession, the offense handed the ball to Schmiesing on four consecutive plays. Gains of 9, 9, 17 and 23 yards resulted in a touchdown and an early 6-0 lead.

The Wildcats drove to the Cavalier two-yard line on their next possession but were unable to convert for any points. Minster’s third drive took only one play, a 65-yard-deep strike from Huelsman to Isaac Schmiesing to increase the lead to 13-0.

Lehman refused to go away, scoring on their next drive on an Owen Smith two-yard run to close the gap to 13-7. Neither team could score the rest of the half, with two Wildcat drives ending with interceptions.

Minster received the second half kickoff and scored to increase their lead to 20-7. The drive featured a 37-yard pass to Jonathan Niemeyer and an eighteen-yard scoring run by Bryce Schmiesing.

The Wildcats put the game away at the start of the fourth quarter. A two-yard run by Huelsman on the first play of the final stanza opened the lead to 27-7. On the Cavalier’s next play, Huelsman forced a fumble which was recovered by Schmiesing. A seven-yard pass on the ensuing play to Anthony Boehnlein gave Minster their final tally. Lehman tacked on a late 47-yard scoring run by Jacob Earhart against the Wildcat reserves to round out the scoring.

Next week Saturday 7-4 Minster will play 8-3 Upper Scioto Valley in regional semifinal action. Lehman Catholic’s season sends with a 7-4 record.

Score by quarter 1 2 3 4 Total

Minster 13 0 7 13 33

Lehman Catholic 0 7 0 8 15

First Quarter:

MIN – Bryce Schmiesing 23 yd run (kick blocked), 9:57

MIN – Isaac Schmiesing 65 yd pass from Jared Huelsman (Isaac Schmiesing kick), 0:37

Second Quarter:

LEH – Owen Smith 2 yd run (Michael Denning kick), 10:27

Third Quarter:

MIN – Bryce Schmiesing 18 yd run (Isaac Schmiesing kick), 9:27

Fourth Quarter:

MIN – Jared Huelsman 2 yd run (Isaac Schmiesing kick), 11:55

MIN – Anthony Boehnlein 7 yd pass from Jared Huelsman (kick failed), 11:33

LEH – Jacob Earhart 47 yd run (Michael Bunker pass from Dylan Arnold), 3:50

Team statistics MIN LEH

First downs 18 14

Rushes - yards 48-280 34-167

Passing yards 124 77

Comp - att - int 7-9-2 9-22-1

Total yards 404 244

Punts - average 2-32.5 4-37.8

Fumbles - lost 0-0 1-1

Penalties - yards 3-250 2-17

Time of possession 30:05 17:55

Individual statistics

Rushing: Minster, B Schmiesing 23-201, Huelsman 16-61, Heitbrink 3-13, Miller 6-5; Lehman Catholic, Earhart 8-90, Gilardi 14-44, Lee 2-17, Sollman 1-9, Arnold 1-4, Smith 8-3

Passing: Minster, Huelsman 7-9-2-124; Lehman Catholic, Gilardi 9-18-1-77, Lee 0-2-0-0, Smith 0-1-0-0, Arnold 0-1-0-0

Receiving: Minster, Niemeyer 3-47, I Schmiesing 1-65, Boehnlein 1-7, Lehmkuhl 1-6, B Schmiesing 1-(-1); Lehman Catholic, Lee 4-39, Smith 3-31, Arnold 1-4, Earhart 1-3