By Jacob Mathias

The Stevens Point Area Senior High School Panthers varsity football team bested the D.C. Everest Evergreens 24-13 in their matchup on Friday, Oct. 3.

The win advances SPASH to level two of the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association playoff tournament where they’ll travel to the east and take on the top-ranked Kimberly Papermakers. Kimberly’s most recent playoff game was a 38-14 win over the Green Bay Preble Hornets on October 23.

The Evergreens took a very quick lead after junior kick returner Nick Kohnhorst ran the opening kickoff back 95 yards for a touchdown and 7-0 lead over the Panthers. SPASH tied the game at 2:21 in the first quarter after senior quarterback Victor Kizewski ran 83 yards for a TD.

An unusual five points was racked up by the Panthers in the second quarter with a 20 yard field goal by junior kicker Joey Dorgan at 8:03 and a safety for two points at 5:00.

Everest’s only other score came at 10:08 in the third quarter when senior running back Stephen Paoli ran for a 10 yard touchdown. A failed two point conversion attempt brought the score to an Everest led 13-12.

SPASH took the lead again after junior QB Beau Rosenthal ran in a 24 yard TD. A failed two point conversion attempt by Rosenthal brought the Panthers ahead 18-13.

Shortly after the start of the fourth quarter, junior RB Gus Turner-Zick ran 32 yards for the final score of the game and a 24-13 SPASH victory.

SPASH dominated Everest moving the ball with 413 total offensive yards compared to Everest’s 62. Turner-Zick led the Panthers with 174 yards followed by Kizewski with 86 and Rosenthal with 85.

SPASH takes on Kimberly this Friday, Oct. 30 at 7:00 PM at Kimberly High School.