Dominant Line Play Leads Minster to 40-14 Win over New Bremen

By Bruce Monnin

MINSTER - The seniors on the Minster Wildcat football team had never defeated the New Bremen Cardinals on a Friday night, having lost the previous three matchups by an average of 24 points per game. They rectified that shortcoming in dominating fashion with a 40-14 victory.

Minster practically abandoned their passing game, instead rushing for 301 yards and four touchdowns on 45 carries. The defense also got in on the act, holding the Cardinals to just 120 total yards before the reserves came in late in the fourth quarter.

“I was really, really impressed with the way we played up front,” stated Wildcat coach Seth Whiting. “We talked to our kids all week about getting ready for a physical game. Our front on both sides of the ball absolutely dominated. Defensively, holding those guys to seven points by our varsity guys, we are very proud of that effort. They just continue to play better and better every week.”

Minster received the opening kickoff and quickly worked their way past midfield. Quarterback James Niemeyer then kept the ball for a 23-yard run before finding Kole Richard alone in the end zone on the next play for a 21-yard score.

New Bremen responded by putting together a 15-play drive which stalled at the Wildcat 22-yard line. A 39-yard field goal attempt missed wide left, and the Wildcat lead remained 7-0.

Two plays later, the Cardinals forced a fumble which was recovered by Jonathan Heitkamp at the Minster 23-yard line. On fourth down from the five, Rogan Muether took the pitch on an end around and threw a pass to Grant Dicke in the end zone to tie the game at 7-7 midway through the second quarter.

As they have several times this season, the Wildcats put up some points just before intermission. A 65-yard drive was capped by a Connor Schmiesing three-yard run with three minutes remaining in the half. Minster retook possession after a Schmiesing interception was returned to the New Bremen 21-yard line. The Cardinals thought they had returned the favor, but an interception in the end zone was nullified by a pass interference penalty. Two plays later, Schmiesing ran it in from eight yards out and the Wildcats led 20-7 at half.

Schmiesing scored on Minster’s next two possessions, first on a diving 29-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter and then on a five-yard run early in the fourth period to increase the lead to 34-7. Caleb Couse then executed a pooch kickoff that went off a Cardinal player and was recovered by Dylan Heitkamp.

“That’s not where that kick is supposed to go,” admitted Whiting. “He keeps kicking it short, and we’ve recovered two of them.”

Minster then started rotating in their second and third string players. The game finished with a 6-yard touchdown run by Wildcat senior John Keller and a 77-yard scoring jaunt by the Cardinal’s Muether to produce the final 40-14 score.

Niemeyer was the leading rusher on the night with 93 yards on nine carries. Schmiesing added 68 yards on 12 carries, Justin Bergman tacked on 61 yards on 13 carries and Richard added 50 yards on three attempts.

Next week the 8-1 Wildcats (6-1 MAC) have now won six straight conference games and will finish the regular season by visiting the 7-2 Versailles Tigers. The 3-6 Cardinals (2-5 MAC) host the 4-5 Delphos St. John’s Blue Jays.

Score by quarter 1 2 3 4 Total

Minster 7 13 7 13 40

New Bremen 0 7 0 7 14

First Quarter:

MIN – Kole Richard 21 yd pass from James Niemeyer (Caleb Couse kick), 6:40

Second Quarter:

NB – Grant Dicke 5 yd pass from Rogan Muether (Hayden Zeller kick), 6:47

MIN – Connor Schmiesing 3 yd run (Caleb Couse kick), 3:07

MIN – Connor Schmiesing 8 yd run (kick failed), 0:34

Third Quarter:

MIN – Connor Schmiesing 29 yd pass from James Niemeyer (Caleb Couse kick), 6:54

Fourth Quarter:

MIN – Connor Schmiesing 5 yd run (Caleb Couse kick), 11:27

MIN – John Keller 6 yd run (kick failed), 4:50

NB – Rogan Muether 77 yd run (Aiden Eastham kick), 2:51

Team statistics MIN NB

First downs 21 7

Rushes - yards 45-301 27-156

Passing yards 59 48

Comp - att - int 3-6-0 7-11-1

Total yards 360 204

Punts - average 0-0.0 2-34.5

Fumbles - lost 1-1 0-0

Penalties - yards 2-10 7-61

Time of possession 28:45 19:15

Individual statistics

Rushing: Minster, Niemeyer 9-93, Schmiesing 12-68, Bergman 13-61, Richard 3-50, Meyer 3-21, Keller 4-13, Fancher 1-(minus 5); New Bremen, Muether 1-77, Thieman 17-44, Schaefer 9-35

Passing: Minster, Niemeyer 3-6-0-59; New Bremen, Thieman 6-10-1-43, Muether 1-1-0-5

Receiving: Minster, Co. Schmiesing 1-29, Richard 1-21, Heitkamp 1-9; New Bremen, Dicke 3-21, Muether 2-19, Zeller 1-4, Keller 1-4