Deacon Caspers becomes Comets’ single-season rushing leader during 21-0 loss to Bulldogs

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — Deacon Caspers gave strong indication early that he would inevitably become the Comets’ new single-season rushing leader.

Through four games, the Charles City junior had already eclipsed 800 yards on the ground while averaging a little more than 200 a game.

And you thought Sam Darnold had a good start to the season.

But going up against playoff-bound opponents during the second half of the season has proven to be tougher sledding for Caspers and Company, and eclipsing the mark set by Taylor Manning (1,259 yards) in 2009 was no longer a given.

Yet after grinding out 75 yards on 20 carries during Friday’s Class 3A-District 2 loss to Hampton-Dumont-CAL (21-0), Caspers is now Charles City’s all-time leader with 1,295 yards with one more game on the Comets’ schedule.

“It’s a great honor and I couldn’t haven’t done it without my offensive line,” Caspers said after the Comets fell to 3-5 overall ahead of next Friday’s season-finale on the road against Clear Lake.

Caspers has carried the ball 249 times this season while averaging 5.2 yards per attempt. Not to jinx him going into the final game against the Lions, but Caspers hasn’t lost a fumble all season.

It isn’t from a lack of trying from the opposition. Often, opponents will try to stand Caspers up after contact and attempt to strip the ball from him while Caspers and his teammates advance the “scrum” upfield for four or five extra yards.

Though Caspers has absorbed a lot of contact this season, he remains resilient.

“I have a few bumps and bruises here and there,” Caspers said. “I just continue to train hard in the weight room, and I think that has helped me not get injured.”

This is the second-straight season in which a Comet set a team record. Last season, Keenan Wiley set Charles City’s single-season receiving yardage record (615).

“Not to take anything away from what Keenan did last season, but a rushing record is more of a team record,” Comet head coach Bryan Bjorklund said while giving kudos to Caspers and his teammates for what they accomplished.

After winning its first three games and then dropping four straight, Charles City still wasn’t eliminated from playoff possibility going into their game against Bulldogs, who were already eliminated coming in with a 2-5 record.

Playing for nothing but pride, the Bulldogs took a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter on Taylor Mahler’s 4-yard and Hunter Rieken’s PAT kick.

The Bulldogs scored 7 more with 6:53 left in the half. Facing a fourth-and-eight snap at the 14-yard line, HDC quarterback Ryder Strother managed to conceal the ball effectively on a play-action fake and found a wide-open Brady Harr to widen the gap.

Strother scored on a 5-yard run early in the fourth quarter which, with Rieken’s third PAT kick of the night, capped the scoring.

Junior sophomore John Bruening led the Comets’ defense with seven solo tackles.

Next Friday, the Comets will face the Lions (5-3) who were formerly ranked in the Class 3A Top 10 by the Associated Press and may need to win to qualify for the postseason.

HAMPTON-DUMONT-CAL 21, CHARLES CITY 0

Scoring By Quarters

HDC 7 7 0 7 — 21

CC 0 0 0 0 — 0

Scoring Summary

HDC — Taylor Mahler 4-yard run (Hunter Rieken kick) 6:35 1st, 7-0

HDC — Brady Harr 14-yard pass from Ryder Strother (Rieken kick) 6:53 2nd, 14-0

HDC — Strother 5-yard run (Rieken kick) 10:26 4th, 21-0

RECORDS — Charles City 3-5, Hampton-Dumont-CAL 3-5

Individual Statistics

PASSING — CC, Patrick Bruening 4-13, 27 yards, INT.

RUSHING — CC, Deacon Caspers 20 carries, 75 yards; Ezekiel Causey 1 carry, 19 yards; Patrick Bruening 4 carries, 18 yards.

RECEIVING — CC, Victor Ward Jr. 2 catches, 23 yards; Kamden Meek 1 catch 5 yards.

DEFENSE — CC, John Bruening 9 total tackles, 7 solo tackles, Ryder Biwer 1.5 tackles for loss, QB sack; Bennett Hansen tackle for loss; Jackson Ruzicka 6.5 total tackles. HDC — Aaden Keehn 5.5 total tackles, INT; Austin Hanson 3 tackles for loss; Taylor Mahler 10 total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss; Colin Bird 9 total tackles, 6 solo tackles, 2 tackles for loss; Chase Johnson 1.5 tackles for loss.