Rosholt blanks Pittsville
Hornets win 35-0
By Mike Kobs
A Nov. 6 matchup between Rosholt and Pittsville was a display of two football teams headed in different directions.
There were the Rosholt Hornets – winners of three straight games – on one side, and the Pittsville Panthers – 1-2 and coming off a two-week layoff – on the other.
The starting senior quarterbacks for both teams were having vastly different seasons as well.
Rosholt starter Isaac Cychosz came into the game completing 70.6 percent of his passes, while Pittsville’s Camron Dammann had thrown no touchdowns and three interceptions. That gap would widen even farther by the end of this week No. 7 matchup.
The Panther defense, however, was a bright spot on this night, at Pittsville High School. Following a 13-yard reception on the game’s first play, Rosholt went three-and-out, and Pittsville forced an early punt. But the Panther offense managed only eight yards on three plays, and punted to end their first possession of the night.
The Hornets took over at the Pittsville 42-yard line after just a four-yard punt. Rosholt covered those 42 yards on six plays, scoring on a six-yard touchdown pass from Cychosz to Charlie Walder with 6:09 remaining in the first quarter.
Pittsville’s ensuing drive stalled after six plays, and the Hornets got the ball back at their own 14-yard line. After Josh Zick was tackled for a five-yard loss on first down, Cychosz showed off his running abilities on second-and-15, going 91 yards nearly untouched for another Rosholt score, to make it 14-0 with 1:33 left in the first quarter.
Pittsville’s next drive stalled after seven plays, including three straight incompletions by Dammann and two penalties for 10 yards against the Panthers. Cychosz returned the favor, though, with three-straight misses that stalled a 12-play drive. After another three-and-out by Pittsville, the Hornets got the ball back in good field position at their own 48-yard line.
But the Pittsville defense stepped up yet again, forcing a two-yard loss on first down, then forcing a fumble on second-and-12 at the Rosholt 44-yard line. The Panthers gained a yard on first down, then 14 yards on second down. On first-and-10, the Panthers coughed up the football, and senior lineman Rafael Lugo scooped it up and went 62 yards for the score, to make it 21-0 with 2:09 left in the first half.
The Panthers got a good return on the ensuing kickoff, and had time to work right before halftime. But on third-and-seven from the 50-yard line, Dammann threw his fourth interception of the season. Rosholt went three-and-out, but it ended a great scoring opportunity for the Panthers right before the halftime break.
Both teams went three-and-out to start the second half. Pittsville’s second possession of the third quarter stalled out after six plays. The Hornets took over at their own 46-yard line after an 11-yard Pittsville punt, and covered those 46 yards in just five plays, scoring on a 31-yard run by Cychosz with 3:48 left in the third quarter.
Following another three-and-out by Pittsville’s offense, the Panther defense again stopped Rosholt after just a four-play possession. The Rosholt punt pinned the Panthers at their own four-yard line.
On first down, Dammann took a shot, and was intercepted again, this time near midfield, setting the Hornets up at the Panther 46-yard line. After a 27-yard run by Cychosz on first down, Brock Lyshik picked up three yards on the ground, before Cychosz found Blade Niewiadomski in the back left corner of the end zone for a 17-yard touchdown, to make it 35-0. That ended the scoring for the night, as defense on both sides took over the remainder of the game.
Isaac Cychosz ran the ball 10 times for 172 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Hornets. He was also 9-for-18 for 113 yards and two touchdowns in the passing game as well. Niewiadomski caught four passes for 63 yards and a score. Walder had three receptions for 32 yards and a touchdown.
The Panther offense, however, was shutout for the second straight game, following a 47-0 loss at Iola-Scandinavia Oct. 16. Pittsville dropped to 1-3 with the loss, while Rosholt improved to 5-2. The Hornets also ended a four-game losing streak to the Panthers, dating back to a 1990 playoff game, which was also Pittsville’s first-ever high school football postseason appearance.