Earning a ‘passing’ grade
By Richard Hales
10-17-07

EPHRAIM—The Snow College passing game took over the lead offensive role as the badgers flew to a 45-14 win over the Glendale Gauchos last Saturday.
Snow had relied heavily on its running going into last weeks game getting 18 touchdowns off of the run compared to 13 through the air, and an average 229.5 rushing yards per game to 219.7 passing yards per game.
However, in last week’s game Snow’s Houston Erbstoesser settled into his role as the Badger’s quarterback and completed 19-of-28 for 239 yards and four touchdowns.
Back up Mike Jensen also went 2-of-3 for 12 yards for a passing total of 251 yards compared to 168 rushing yards.
And Erbstoesser spread the wealth, hitting eight snow receivers, three of which found the end zone.
Adam Frandsen was the first Snow receiver to reach the end zone on an 18-yard pass to put Snow up 24-0. Frandsen would visit the end zone again midway through the third after catching the ball and taking it 78 yards to put the Badgers up 38-0.
Kimball Burton took one in from 21 yards late in the second quarter to put the Badgers up 31-0 and Troy Cummings caught a nine yard throw early in the fourth for Snow’s final score of the game making it 45-0.
However Snow’s running game did make it’s presence felt and contributed early in the game.
Vilisoni (Soni) Sotele racked up 92 yards on 21 attempts before being sat down late in the third quarter after being shaken up on a play.
Sotele also got Snow’s only rushing touchdown of the game taking the ball from 22 yards out on the Badgers first possession and putting it in the end zone.
Sotele also caught two passes for 26 yards for 118 total yards on the day.
The Badger defense adorned its regular role and also contributed to the scoring.
Snow’s defense held the Gauchos to a meager 31 yards rushing and 155 yards.
The defense got right down to business on Glendale’s first possession and sacked Brian Wiedman, forcing a fumble on the play and turning it into a 44-yard field goal to go up 10-0.
The Badgers defense was far from finished however and on the first play of the Glendale’s next drive Snow’s Josh Sharp got his first interception of the season and returned it 37 for the touchdown to put Snow up 17-0.
Snow’s Andrew Rich also pulled one down for his second pick of the season.
“We’ve rallied behind the defense this year,” said Snow College head coach Steve Coburn. “We have players that had back-up roles last year and we have freshman that are stepping up and making plays, all four of our defensive backs are freshman.”
It wasn’t until Coburn pulled out his first string defense that Glendale was able to put points on the board.
“We were ranked second because of what last years team did,” said coach Coburn, “we are ranked first because of what this team has done.”
“Glendale is always ranked well,” said Coburn of his team’s 38 point margin of victory, “I think we not only told the WSFL who is number one, but I think we told the nation.”
The Badgers travel to Tuscon Saturday to play the Pima Aztecs.
The Aztecs are 0-5 in WSFL play after suffering a 51-27 drubbing at the hands of New Mexico Millitary last week.
Game time will be 3 p.m.