WILLMAR -- For the second week in a row, Willmar found itself starting on its own 15-yard line late in the game and needing a touchdown to avoid defeat.
Last week the Cardinals got it driving 85-yards for the game-winning TD at St. Cloud Tech.
This week, the last-ditch drive ran out of time and downs at the Rocori 20-yard line.
Thus, the Spartans escaped Hodapp Field with a 14-7 Central Lakes Conference victory in a game of hard-hits before about 1,200 fans on a breezy 39-degree evening.
A couple of key elements varied from a week earlier. Willmar got the ball back with 2:32 left compared to about six minutes the week before.
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Willmar quarterback Mike Dunham was on the sidelines this time with an apparent ankle sprain suffered on a keeper in the third quarter. It was uncertain last night if it would keep him out of the season finale at Moorhead.
Josh Mead, starting linebacker and Dunham's emergency back-up, ran two series while the coaches schooled sophomore Alec Saunders before he made his varsity debut.
"I've been in that position before," said senior running back Andy Boersma, who had to take over for injured quarterback Luke Buer in the third game a year ago. "The first few plays are so important. We tried to assure him everything would be OK. All it takes is a little bit of confidence and I thought he did a great job."
With the 10th grader at the controls Willmar twice mounted long drives in the fourth quarter to get to the end zone doorstep. But both drives ran out of gas -- the first on a incomplete alley-oop to Jordan Smith in the end zone and the second on a sack as time ran out at the Rocori 20.
Willmar finished with a 4-3 record in Central Lakes games, the first above .500 CLC record since 2000. The team's chances for a first-round section home game still appear good.
Rocori suffered two key injuries. Leading running back Nick Schneider left the game in the second quarter with an ankle sprain. The Spartans' No. 2 back Dane Vocelka, a sophomore like Schneider, went out after tackling Saunders at the Rocori 14 with eight minutes left.
The injury time out seemed to rob Willmar's march of momentum. Fullback Levi Brown and running back Cory Hanson had each made first-down runs, as did the rookie Saunders. But when time resumed the Cardinals got no closer.
Willmar held, but had to start 85 yards away. It proved just a little too far to go.
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"We were able to drive all evening but we didn't finish," said Boersma. "It's a tough loss."
Coach Ken Heitzman said the team "absolutely" would bounce back in time for Wednesday game at Moorhead.
Dunham threw to tight end Ryan DeGree in the second quarter for Willmar's only score and a 7-7 tie.
Vocelka's 52-yard run set up the game-winning TD, a one-yard squirm by Vocelka in the first minute of the fourth quarter.
Rocori 14, Willmar 7
Rocori (3-3, 4-3).................................7 0 0 7 -- 14
Willmar (4-3, 4-3)...............................0 7 0 0 -- 7
Roc - Jon Lardy 11 pass from Brad Olson (Felipe Vercosa kick)
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Wil - Ryan DeGree 9 pass from Michael Dunham (Jordan Smith kick)
Roc - Dane Vocelka 1 run (Varcosa kick)
Rocori
Team statistics
First downs: 8 ... Rushing: 35-149 ... Passing (com-att-yds-int.): 11-16-136-1 ... Fumbles lost: 0 ... Penalties: 9-60
Individual statistics
Rushing: Chris McKenzie 6-15, Alex Jungels 3-8, Dane Vocelka 11-88, Jon Lardy 1-3, Tyler Homerding, Nick Schneider 9-25, Brad Olson 5-10... Passing: Brad Olson 11-16-136-1... Receiving: Zach Bork 2-23, Jon Lardy 3-40, Brian Hansen 3-65 ... Punting: Derek Eisenschenk 5-30.0 ... Interceptions: Brian Hansen .... Fumble recoveries: Joby Rausch
Willmar
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Team statistics
First downs: 15 ... Rushing: 39-166 ... Passing (com-att-yds-int.): 13-19-139-1 ... Fumbles lost: 1 ... Penalties: 4-30
Individual statistics
Rushing: Levi Brown 10-54, Andy Boersma 4-30, Michael Dunham 4-15, Cory Hanson 14-49, Josh Mead 1-(-2), Alec Saunders 6-20 ... Passing: Dunham 7-8-86-1, Saunders 6-10-53-0, Josh Mead 0-1-0-0 ... Receiving: Hanson 1-12, Ryan DeGree 1-9, Boersma 4-45, Jordan Smith 3-70 ... Punting: Smith 4-46.0... Interceptions: Schneider ... Fumble recoveries: none... Tackles (solo-assist): Joel Schendel 3-1, Mitch Schneider 3-3, Jarod Hennen 1-5, Jordan Smith 0-1, Cory Hanson 0-2, Andy Boersma 1-0, Brett Blomquist 1-2, Adam Schow 1-2, Josh Mead 0-4, DeGree 1-1, Trent Molacek 3-8, Ben Lippert 2-10, Justin Schweiger 3-10, Kent Underland 0-2, Adam Kramer 1-4
