Daxton Olson ran for two touchdowns and threw for three more to lead the Rockets. Olson scored the first TD of the night on a 2 yard run and Wyatt Thorsonadded the two-point conversion run as the Rockets took an 8-0 lead at 9:13 of the first quarter. Olson then connected with Levi Blaskowski on a 74 yard touchdown pass and Thomas Kaste added the two-point conversion run for a 16-0 Underwood lead. Olson next hit Zane Swanson with a 25 yard scoring toss with Swanson also running for the two-point conversion and it was 24-0 with 4:22 left in the quarter. Olson’s 10 yard TD run with 1:53 left put the score at 30-0.

Nik Gardin scored the only touchdown of the second quarter on a one yard run to put the halftime score at 36-0. 

In the third quarter, Thorson scored on a one yard run, followed by an Olson two-point conversion run, putting the score at 44-0. Olson and Blaskowski hooked up on a 5 yard TD pass with 6:14 left in the third and Olson again ran for two points to make it a 52-0 lead for the home team. 

With 4:39 left in the game Logan Disabella carried the ball into the end zone from four yards out to put the Comets on the scoreboard. Nick Foss booted the extra point and it was 52-7. A 7 yard run by Reed Leabo and a two-point conversion run by Gavon Hoen ended the scoring and gave the Rockets the 60-7 victory. 

Underwood held Hillcrest to 97 yards of offense, including just 17 passing yards. The Rockets compiled 483 yards of total offense with 376 coming on the ground and 107 through the air. 

Olson completed 4-of-6 passes for 107 yards and 3 TDs, while running for 73 yards on 5 attempts. Gardin had 63 rushing yards on 4 carries and Swanson had 58 yards on just four attempts. Blaskowski caught two passes for 79 yards. Tackle leaders were Noyes with 5 and Blaskowski with 4. Blaskowski and Thorson each recorded a sack.

Thomas Zwiers led Hillcrest, completing 6-of-14 passes for 17 yards. Disabella was the rushing leader with 50 yards on 17 carries and he also led the receivers with 4 catches for 26 yards. Zwiers led the Comets with 10.5 tackles and Simon Strommen had 9.5 tackles. 

We found it tough sledding against a very physical Underwood line.  Defensively they established the line of scrimmage against us early and we weren’t able to hold our ground.  They have a very good rushing attack with multiple guys able to carry the ball for chunks of yards.  Offensively we could not get anything going.  They contained our outside run game and forced us to try and run it up the middle where their size was a clear advantage.  I thought we had some guy open downfield in our passing game but we just weren’t able to keep s clean pocket and give our quarterback time to throw.   

“Defensively, Thomas Zwiers and Simon Strommen played well for us,” said Hillcrest Head Coach Derek Clark.  “They were our leading tacklers.  We were able to come away with three turnovers including a nice tipped interception by Logan Disabella and a couple fumble recoveries by Strommen and Gavin Knutson.”