PLATTEVILLE – When Cassville and Shullsburg took the field last Saturday afternoon at Ralph E. Davis Pioneer Stadium on the campus of UW-Platteville, Comet coach Doug Fure was expecting a close game between two evenly matched teams.
What unfolded during the next 48 minutes of action was anything but a close game, as Cassville dominated the Miners to the tune of 70-22.
“I thought it was going to be a lot closer game than that,” said Cassville coach Doug Fure. “I didn’t perceive that happening, but we kind of jumped on them early.”
Early was an understatement, as Cassville needed just 18 seconds to claim a 6-0 lead after senior Gus Hetcher forced and recovered a Shullsburg fumble at the nine-yard line on the games opening kick off.
From there, senior running back Caleb Dahse scored on his first carry of the game, and it certainly wouldn’t be his last.
Cassville’s speed and experience proved to be too much for the Miners, who were constantly giving up big plays, five of which were 50 yards or longer.
Cassville’s starters played just one half of Saturday’s contest after exploding for 50 points in the second quarter and holding a 64-6 halftime lead.
After scoring twice in the first quarter, the Comets used a number of big plays to scored seven more times in the second.
Dahse led Cassville’s offensive surge and finished with 135 yards rushing and three touchdowns on 10 carries, not to mention a kick return for a score late in the second quarter.
Freshman Ty Bausch carried the ball five times for 70 yards, and scored on a 61-yard run in the fourth quarter.
Senior Colton Reynolds rushed five times for 52 yards and one TD, while fellow senior James Haas had three carries for 38 yards and one score.
Through the air, senior quarterback Cam Jensen completed 3-of-4 passing attempts for an impressive 152 yards and two touchdowns. He also had a one-yard touchdown run following an interception on defense.
Senior end Dylan Johll hauled in one pass for a 78-yard touchdown score, while fellow senior split end Tyler Torstenson-Harris had two catches for 74 yards, including a 55-yard TD in the second quarter.
In all, Cassville had seven different players score touchdowns on Saturday, and accounted for 485 yards of total offense.
On the ground, the Comets finished with 333 yards on 32 carries, an average of 10.4 yards per attempt.
The Miners concluded Saturday’s season opener with 115 yards rushing on 32 attempts, and completed 12-of-23 passing attempts for 179 yards.
Defensively for the Comets, senior defensive back Colton Reynolds had eight total tackles, three solo, one for a loss and one forced fumble.
James Haas and Caleb Adams each had seven stops, Adams with four solo tackles and two for a loss, Haas with two solo and one for a loss.
Cam Jensen and Dillon Johll each had interceptions in the game.
The Comets (1-0) will next face a tougher opponent in Potosi (0-1) this Friday night, as the Chieftains are coming off a 38-0 loss to Pecatonica/Argyle.
“The biggest thing is getting them to refocus now and not think about last week, because last week is over,” said coach Fure.
