Wildcats wallop Lions

COLUMBUS — If there was any doubt about what Columbus could do on the football field, well that doubt was evaporated Friday night against Lisbon.

The Wildcats had no problem with the Lions, winning in dominating fashion once again 49-20.

In what has already been shone to be a potent offensive ground attack, Columbus showed just how unstoppable it can be in one of the better opponents its faced thus far.

Columbus wasted no time setting the pace.

Just under two minutes into the game, the Wildcat’s Kaden Amigon broke free for the first score of the game on a 48 yards touchdown. An extra point later and the Wildcats took a 7-0 lead.

That was just the beginning of another dominant performance on the ground for Amgion, as he would finish with 19 carries for 223 yards.

The Wildcats have had one of the best run games in the area and haven’t had the need to pass the ball much thus far, as they’ve thrown the ball just five times this far.

“Our offensive in a run dominant offense,” Columbus head coach David Lekwa said. “We have a lot of pass plays and we’ve got kids that can catch the ball. When your running the ball the way we’re running there’s no need to pass the ball. We’ve been using it as more situational.”

Lisbon moved the ball down the field on its opening drive, converting a pair of fourth downs and making it all the way down to the Columbus 14 yard line.

A big break came for the Wildcats on the next play as they recovered a Lion’s fumble.

On the ensuing drive, Columbus was stopped by Lisbon on 3rd and four, forcing a 4th and one. It wouldn’t matter.

Amigon escaped a slew of Lisbon defenders around the left edge and blistered down the sideline, not only converting the first, but taking it 68 yards to the house. Following the missed extra point the Wildcats led 13-0.

After forcing Lisbon to punt on the next drive and the end of the first quarter, Columbus senior Triston Miller got in on the fun.

This time Miller broke through up the gut and turned on the after burners for a 46 yards score. On the night, Miller would end with 136 yards on 10 carries.

“For us it’s everything (the rushing game),” Amigon said. “We’re fast guys and we want to use that. So we’re just going to take it to the ground and this is what happens.”

The Columbus defense was stifling in the first half as the Wildcats forced the another turnover standing up the Lions on 4th and two.

Columbus answered once again with a 12 play drive that included a 36 yard rush by Amigon and a 31 yard completion from quarterback Jeff Hoback to Miller.

On the night, the Wildcats threw just three times.

The drive was capped off with Miller punching it in from two yards out with 22.2 on the clock.

With the extra point, Columbus took a 27-0 lead into halftime.

In the second half, the Wildcats continued to dominate.

Lisbon was able to score on the opening drive of the second on a 40 yard touchdown pass to make it 27-7.

Columbus then fumbled on its first drive, but Lisbon turned the ball over on 4th and 14 with a high snap.

The turnover put Columbus in great field position at the Lions 13 yard line. Five plays later on 4th and one and the one, Amigon found end zone for the third time, making it a 34-7 ballgame after the extra point.

With their next drive, the Lions scored once again after a solid drive that began with a nice kickoff return.

Any hope that the Lions had a quickly thwarted and Hoback took Lisbons onside attempt all the way back for six, making it a 40-14 ballgame.

Lisbon would turn the ball over on the next drive and scoring continued for Columbus as Miller notched his third rushing score of the night on a 38 yard rush to make it 47-14.

In the fourth, the Lions would score once more, but it wouldn’t matter as the Columbus scored two off a safety on a intentional grounding in the end zone.

The win marks the fourth in a row for Columbus and it’s the first non losing season for the Wildcats since 1997.

“We went from lame practices my freshman year to on the top we’re sprinting everywhere, it’s amazing,” Amigon said. “It’s a big turnaround. We’re just grinding. We hit the weight room almost every day. It’s just hard work and dedication, that’s what we got.”

Amigon and Miller combined for six total rushing touchdowns in the win, with three a piece. Hoback rushed for 26 yards on seven carries. The Wildcats ended with 385 total yards on the ground.

Through the air, Hoback connected on one pass for 31 yards.

“We’re taking it one game at a time,” Lekwa said. “It’s nice to get recognition from the poles and anything like that, but none of that stuff ever won a game. So we’re just going to keep our head down and go week to week.”

Columbus will take on Pekin (2-2) in its next matchup.