No. 8 Mayo bounces back with lopsided win over New Prague – Reuters Sports News

The Mayo High School football team did Friday night what good teams are supposed to do after a tough loss: respond with vengeance.

A week after being blocked by top-ranked Mankato West, the Spartans’ offense rebounded in a big way scoring on six of their first seven possessions and the defense continued their streak of good plays as Mayo treated the crowd to sold out to a resounding 45-0 win over a tough New Prague side.

The Spartans — ranked eighth in the 5A state class — improved to 5-1 overall and 5-1 in the Big Southeast Red District. New Prague drops to 4-2, 4-2.

“We wanted to come back and show who we are,” coach Donny Holcomb said. “Put the past aside and learn from it. We talked about family and how everyone is here for homecoming – we have a show to put on for the family. Super proud of the guys and one more times for Mayo High School. Great vibe, it’s a pretty cool community.”

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Photos: Mayo, New Prague football

Running back Noah Smith admitted there was a different intensity in practice this week and it was Smith who was the catalyst early on.

After being held just 5 yards on the ground in nine runs against the Scarlets, the Spartans made it a point to get him on the ball early and often. The first three offensive plays were runs, with the third seeing Smith take off a 54-yard tackle for the score in less than two minutes for the first of his three rushing touchdowns.

“The blocking was insane,” said Smith, who finished with 121 rushing yards on 14 carries. “We took it from last week because last week we struggled a bit with homework and we did it today. We made some corrections in practice and practiced tough this week too. No more mistakes.”

Smith’s second touchdown came on a nine-yard run, three plays after Carter Holcomb’s 50-yard punt return put the ball to the New Prague 20. Holcomb had another good punt return to set up the next score from Mayo, sending him over 30 yards inside. the red zone of New Prague. Two plays later, quarterback Bennett Ellsworth found Carter’s brother, Cayden Holcomb, for a 15-yard touchdown reception to make it 21-0 in the second quarter. It was also a rebounding game for Cayden Holcomb, as the standout receiver responded with 101 receiving yards and one touchdown on seven receptions.

“As soon as Noah gets the ball moving, suddenly all the linebackers, the safeties start crawling trying to stop him,” Cayden Holcomb said. “It opens things up for me, my brother and Spencer (Pearson) to have open ground to work with.”

Mayo’s Carter Holcomb (11) carries the ball as New Prague’s Brendan Pieper (1) closes in during a high school football game Friday, Oct. 8, 2021, at Mayo High School in Rochester. Joe Ahlquist / Post Bulletin

A 42-yard field goal from Mario Magnotto gave a 24-0 halftime lead before Ellsworth recorded his second touchdown pass of the night on a nice fingertip catch from Carter Holcomb for the score 66 yards on their first drive of the third quarter. Carter Holcomb finished with two receptions for 82 yards, while Ellsworth rebounded well from a tough game last week completing 12 of 15 for 201 passing yards.

“We have to put him in good positions, which we didn’t do last week,” Donny Holcomb said. “We put him in good positions to make plays and that’s what he did.”

The Mayo defense picked up its second shutout of the season, holding off a New Prague team that managed to move the ball this season to just 218 total rushing yards. It was that defense that also put the icing on the cake when defensive tackle Zach Scharf hit home on a 35-yard scoop and scored late in the fourth quarter, which set the sideline for Mayo into a frenzy.

“We bent a few times, but we didn’t break,” Donny Holcomb said. “And yes, everyone is shocked by Zach. It was cool to see.”

The Spartans will now be looking to make it two in a row when they travel to Austin to face the winless Packers on Friday.

“We’re a very different team than last year,” Cayden Holcomb said when asked how to handle adversity. “We are so close. We have chemistry on and off the pitch.”

Mayo’s Tate Cothern (53), Noah Smith (20) and Matthew Myren (64) celebrate a Smith’s touchdown during a high school football game against New Prague on Friday, October 8, 2021 at Mayo High School in Rochester. Joe Ahlquist / Post Bulletin

Mayo 45, New Prague 0

May 14 10 7 7 — 45

New Prague 0 0 0 0 — 30

first quarter

M– Noah Smith 54 run (Mario Magnotto shot), 10:12.

M– Smith 9 run (Magnotto kick), 5:21.

second quarter

M– Cayden Holcomb 15 pass from Bennett Ellsworth (Magnotto kick), 9:02.

M– Magnotto 42 field goal (4:32).

Third quarter

M– Carter Holcomb 66 passes from Ellsworth (Magnotto kick), 6:35.

Fourth trimester

M– Smith 2 run (Magnotto kick), 4:41.

M– Zach Scharf 35 return from a breakaway, 1:21.

Mayo NP

Total net yards 218,315

Ruling yards 178 114

Passing yards 40,201

Pass att.-comp.-int. 6-14-0 12-15-0

Fumbles lost 1-1 2-1

Penalties yards 5-33 2-30

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

To rush

Mayo— Noah Smith 14-121, Bennett Ellsworth 1-(minus 9), Rudy Lozoya 1-2, LeBron See-Stadstad 2-0. New Prague — Brendan Pieper 20-91, Luke Shepard 6-under 11, Eddie Sirek 6-37, Jack Hennen 1-27, Isaiah Anderson 7-24.

Who passed

mayo — Ellsworth 12 completions, 15 attempts, 2 touchdowns for 201 yards. John Marshall – Shepard 6-13-0-0, for 40 yards.

To receive

Mayo— Cayden Holcomb 7-101, Carter Holcomb 2-86, Tore Pappenfus 1-13, Brigg Poppe 1-8. New Prague — Pieper 4-23, Matt Friedges 2-17.

1/13: Mayo’s Cayden Holcomb (12) is knocked down by New Prague’s Eddie Sirek (2) during a high school football game Friday, Oct. 8, 2021 at Mayo High School in Rochester. Joe Ahlquist / Post Bulletin

2/13: Mayo’s Cayden Holcomb (12) carries the ball during a high school football game against New Prague on Friday, October 8, 2021 at Mayo High School in Rochester. Joe Ahlquist / Post Bulletin

3/13: Mayo’s Noah Smith (20) carries the ball during a high school football game against New Prague on Friday, October 8, 2021 at Mayo High School in Rochester. Joe Ahlquist / Post Bulletin

4/13: Mayo’s Noah Smith (20) carries the ball during a high school football game against New Prague on Friday, October 8, 2021 at Mayo High School in Rochester. Joe Ahlquist / Post Bulletin

5/13: Mayo’s Noah Smith (20) is knocked down by a group of New Prague defenders during a high school football game on Friday, October 8, 2021 at Mayo High School in Rochester. Joe Ahlquist / Post Bulletin

6/13: Mayo fans cheer on their team during a high school football game against New Prague on Friday, October 8, 2021 at Mayo High School in Rochester. Joe Ahlquist / Post Bulletin

seven/13: Mayo’s Brigg Poppe (21) cheers after a teammate scores a touchdown during a high school football game against New Prague on Friday, Oct. 8, 2021 at Mayo High School in Rochester. Joe Ahlquist / Post Bulletin

8/13: Mayo fans cheer on their team during a high school football game against New Prague on Friday, October 8, 2021 at Mayo High School in Rochester. Joe Ahlquist / Post Bulletin

9/13: Mayo Homecoming Queen Abby Garcia, a senior, runs with the Mayo flag after Mayo scored during a high school football game against New Prague on Friday, Oct. 8, 2021, at Mayo High School in Rochester. Joe Ahlquist / Post Bulletin

ten/13: Mayo fans cheer on their team during a high school football game against New Prague on Friday, October 8, 2021 at Mayo High School in Rochester. Joe Ahlquist / Post Bulletin

11/13: Mayo players enter the field before a high school football game against New Prague on Friday, October 8, 2021 at Mayo High School in Rochester. Joe Ahlquist / Post Bulletin

12/13: The Mayo High School Band performs before a high school football game against New Prague on Friday, October 8, 2021 at Mayo High School in Rochester. Joe Ahlquist / Post Bulletin

13/13: Mayo’s Noah Smith (20) scores a touchdown during a high school football game against New Prague on Friday, October 8, 2021 at Mayo High School in Rochester. Joe Ahlquist / Post Bulletin