Holton 23, Columbus 22

Much like the 2015 Holton football season, the Wildcats Sub-State game against undefeated and #1 ranked Columbus, featured a slow start and several missed opportunities.  Yet, the vaunted Wildcat defense always kept the game within one score, Holton had players step in and rise to the occasion all while staying mentally focused and strong, wearing their opponent down, then making some huge plays in crunch time to secure a celebration. 
 

On Friday night, Holton atoned for a one-point season ending loss the year before at Columbus, as the Cats scored with 31 seconds remaining and took their first lead of the game on a two-point conversion to shock the Titans 23-22 and advance to the 4A Division Two State Championship.
 

Nothing came easy in this game for either team, but it certainly didn’t look favorable for the Wildcats through most of the contest as they came up empty on four trips inside the Titan red zone and then fumbled the ball for their only turnover of the game with 3:15 left in the fourth quarter, trailing 22-15. 
 

It was only fitting that Spencer Baum, who was filling in at runningback for injured senior starter, Will Wright, got a chance to redeem himself after the fumble and eventually ran in the winning two-point try after a Columbus encroachment penalty and a Wildcat timeout.  Baum, ran for 119 of his team high 131 yards in the second half, including a 31 yard carry on the next Holton offensive play after he had fumbled. “I wanted another shot more than anything,” Baum said. “It was really upsetting to me.  But the turning point was when Will was the first guy to come over and pick me up, telling me I had to make it for it. Then all the seniors were coming over and telling me we were ok and we were going to get another chance and everything was fine.”  Baum also caught a 14 yard touchdown pass on fourth down from Justin Rieschick to tie the game at seven with 2:21 to play in the first half and earned Citizens State Bank and Trust Company of Hiawatha, “Player to Bank On” honors. “When he (Coach Barta) gave the ball back to me, I knew he and my teammates had faith in me and having those team leaders there for me is really what helped more than anything,” Baum added. 

Holton’s game winning drive started with 2:15 to play after they forced a three-and-out for the third time on the night.  Senior leader, Mason Barta scored the touchdown with 31 seconds remaining to finish with 97 yards on 23 carries.  Rieschick added 86 yards on 10 carries, including a 57 yard touchdown run to tie the score at 15 in the final minute of the third quarter.  Holton out-gained Columbus 394 yards to just 284 and did not punt, while only having three penalties of five yards each and not attempting a pass in the second half. 

After driving 15 plays and more than seven minutes to start the game, the Wildcats had a botched snap that wasted a potential field goal try.  But, Justin Pool intercepted a Columbus pass three plays later for the Wildcats only takeaway of the game, but their 17th defensive pick of the season. After Holton turned the ball over on downs inside the Titan 10-yard line for the second time to start the game, Columbus marched 92 yards on 19 plays to open the scoring with a two-yard TD run by Ethan Martin.  Then, it was Pool that had a dazzling sideline kickoff return as he picked up a ball going out of bounds at the 13 yard line and returned it 32 yards to set up a quick seven play Holton scoring drive in the second quarter.    

With the score tied at seven, Columbus got their All-State runningback going in the third quarter as Jace McDown busted a few big plays and scored on touchdown runs of 13 and 40 yards to give Columbus a 22-15 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.  McDown finished with 164 yards on 25 carries on the night, and more than 5,500 in his career.  Although he reached at least 100 yards in his 22nd straight game, he got half his yardage on two carries in that third quarter and did not appear 100 percent in the final period. 
 

Trey Robinson completed 8 of his first 10 passes and helped Columbus convert on 8 of 10 third down plays.  Yet, he finished with just 50 total yards passing and missed his three final attempts on the Titans last drive.  Columbus finished the season with an 11-1 record, after winning their first conference title in 20 years, and just missed returning to their second state title game in school history.  The Titans were held to a season low points and yards after averaging more than 51 points and 522 yards per game coming into the rematch at Holton.   

The Denison State Bank “Lineman of the Game,” were seniors as Tyler Price took defensive honors and center, Justin Wells earned offensive honors for the Wildcats on the night. 

Holton (9-3) will be making their seventh Championship game appearance under 20th year Coach Brooks Barta (202-35), having won three (2003, 2005, 2012) and lost three (1998, 1999, 2010) State Titles. 

“It was amazing, we told everybody that it was going to come down to the last drive, Rieschick exclaimed.  “And we had to be there and convert and be a team the whole way.  Tonight, we showed as one, we can’t be beat, even though we were down, we always came back and believed we could win no matter what.” 
 

The Wildcats will play Holcomb, who is 10-2 after beating Andale 26-13 in the other 4A D2 Sub-State game.  Game time in 1:00 PM in Salina on Saturday, November 28th with live coverage on KNZA 103.9 FM.