Rockets roll to second straight win on the road at Whiting

For the second week in a row, the Remsen-Union football team put up huge numbers on the scoreboard while shutting out their opponent as they blasted Whiting 47-0 on the road.

After putting up 50 points against Charter Oak-Ute, the Rockets used a total team effort to stifle the Warriors as they improved to 2-0 in the district and 3-1 overall.

R-U got three touchdowns early in the first quarter by utilizing their running game headlined by junior Will Pierson.

After quarterback Jon Schreiner scored on a five-yard keeper, Pierson made it a two score game by plunging it in from the one-yard line for the Rockets' second score the game.

The defense got into the action later in the quarter when lineman Michael Ruba intercepted a pass and scooted 13 yards the other way to put the Rockets in the driver's seat.

In the second quarter, the team went to the air to tack more points on the board. Senior Colin Sonnichsen was on the receiving end of two scores from quarterback Josh Bohnenkamp. The sophomore to senior duo hooked up from 24 yards out before Bohnenkamp hit Sonnichsen from 31 yards to put the game out of reach for the Rockets.

Sonnichsen used his feet to score the next touchdown for R-U as he scored on a 17-yard reverse in the third quarter.

Just minutes later, the senior scored his fourth touchdown of the night - third through the air - when he caught a 13-yard pass for the last score of the night as the Rockets rolled to a convincing victory over Whiting.

R-U's two quarterbacks combined for three touchdowns on the night. Bohnenkamp was 3-5 for 80 yards and two scores while the senior Schreiner was 4-11 for 24 yards and a score.

Pierson carried the ball seven times for 51 yards and his touchdown. Sonnichsen managed 32 yards on six carries while Kraig Alesch had eight runs for 36 yards in the game.

Sonnichsen led the team receiving after catching four passes - three for scores - for 93 yards. Tyler Van Dam added two grabs for 13 yards.

"They had trouble covering him. He's a big tall kid with speed and we kept moving him around in different spots to get him open and he just did a nice job of getting open," said R-U's Colin Youde.

Chad Heitritter and Ryan Schroeder led the team on defense with six tackles and each player recorded a sack. Ruba added two sacks to go with his interception. Brad Hodgen recorded the other takeaway as he also recorded an interception and the Rockets limited the Warriors to just 29 yards of total offense.

"It was a workman-like effort by the defense - they just came out and did the job," said Youde. "Whiting put up a good fight but we just kind of overwhelmed them. It was overall just a good effort."

R-U will have tougher competition next week as they take on Woodbine who boasts an identical record. The Tigers come in with momentum after blasting Charter Oak-Ute 61-6 this past Friday.

"It's going to be a great game on Friday," said Youde. "It should have some say in the district race - it's a pretty important game for just the third district game. It's a home game and we're going to do the best we can to defend our field."

"It should be fun."