WATERLOO — The Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Cowboys football team returned to action on Friday night, as they made the trip into the Cedar Valley Region to take on the Columbus Catholic Sailors in Class 1A Playoff action at Columbus Catholic High School in Waterloo. CGD entered at 5-3 and the 3-seed out of District 3, as Columbus Catholic entered at 5-3 and the 2-seed out of District 4.
Kickoff would be delayed for an hour down to an blown transformer and power outage at Columbus Catholic, but both teams would have promising opening drives thwarted by turnovers. CGD would be first to capitalize, marching a short field and scoring on an 8-yard touchdown run from Kolton Hefti as the Cowboys took a 6-0 lead. Columbus Catholic would punt on their ensuing drive, as the Cowboys again marched down and scored on a 6-yard touchdown run by Colin Sesker as CGD grabbed a 12-0 lead. The Sailors would respond on a 47-yard touchdown pass from Amani Robinson to Owen Hosch to cut the score to 12-6. Clarion would not flinch as they took their ensuing possession down the field and scored on a 6-yard touchdown run by Selvin Gonzalez, as the 2-point conversion made it 20-6 at halftime.
Clarion took the opening kickoff of the 2nd half and would march down the field once more, scoring on a 5-yard touchdown run by Joel Meier to go ahead 27-6, as an Amani Robinson pass on the ensuing Columbus Catholic possession was picked off by Paxton Lingenfelter and returned to the 10-yard line, as Easton Beyer paid it off with a 1-yard touchdown as CGD led 34-6. The Sailors would respond as Amani Robinson and Owen Hosch hooked up for their 2nd touchdown pass of the day to make it 34-14, but Clarion answered on another time-consuming drive as Selvin Gonzalez scored on a 1-yard touchdown run to make it 41-14. The Sailors would go down and score again to make it 41-21, but Clarion would recover the onside kick and score on the first play following on a 51-yard touchdown run by Colin Sesker to ice the game in a 48-27 victory.
The KQWC Player of the Game was senior running back Selvin Gonzalez, who rushed for 190 yards and 2 touchdowns on 21 carries, as Joel Meier added 15 carries for 95 yards and a touchdown. Colin Sesker added 95 yards and 2 touchdowns on 8 carries, as Selvin Gonzalez added 5.5 tackles, 2 TFL, a sack and an interception in the win.
Clarion-Goldfield-Dows advances to face #1 Grundy Center in the Round of 16 at Spartan Stadium on Friday night with kickoff at 7 PM.