Holcomb boots Ulysses out of first place

Holcomb, Kan (westernkansasnews.com)-In a battle between the spread offense of Kent Teeter’s Holcomb Longhorns and the power running game of Ian Rudzik and the Ulysses Tigers, the game was decided by the right leg of Holcomb’s Trey Teeter as he booted a 31 yard field goal in overtime to lift the Longhorns to the 17-14 win over the Tigers. Rudzik, who came in averaging more than 175 yards a game, finished with 194 yards, but 72 came on the game’s opening play when Rudzik scampered down the left sideline for a touchdown. It took him 31 more carries to get the rest of his yardage, as the Longhorn defense was just stiff enough to keep the Tigers at bay.

Holcomb got its first points in the 2nd quarter after a 38 yard punt return by Christian Merz put the Longhorns in business at the Ulysses 19. Six plays later, Brandon Stegman scored from 7 yards out and with the extra point, the game was tied at 7. The Longhorns scored again, little more than two minutes later, after the Tigers turned it over on downs at their own 42. Holcomb drove the distance in 5 plays, capped off by Blake Richmeier’s 1 yard plunge and the Longhorns led 14 – 7 at halftime.

Ulysses struck back early in the 3rd quarter when Braden Scott, subbing for injured senior quarterback Tregg Rodriguez, hit  Freddy Romero on a 52 yard TD pass, and with the point-after, the game was tied at 14. The defenses held sway the rest of the night, forcing overtime and giving the Longhorn D one last chance to shine. With the Tigers facing a second and goal from the 2 yard line, linebacker Blake Richmeier shot through the line and stuffed Rudzik for a one yard loss. The Longhorns held on the next two plays and turned the game over to the offense. After missing on a pass play to the corner of the end zone and losing 4 yards on a running play, Coach Kent Teeter elected to put the game on the right leg of his son, Trey, who drilled the 31 yarder for the win.

The Longhorns improved to 3-0, 2-0 in conference play and sit atop the GWAC with the Scott City Beavers, their next opponent. Scott rolled over Goodland 65-12 to remain unbeaten and will host Holcomb Friday night in the showdown for 1st place in the GWAC.