Viebrock sets tone in Burlington Central’s rivalry win over Hampshire

Final score: Burlington Central 13, Hampshire 6.

Records: BC is now 4-2 overall and 4-2 in the Fox Valley Conference while Hampshire drops to 3-3, 3-3.

Player of the game: Wagner Viebrock set the tone by returning the opening kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown, then kicking the extra point. The capacity crowd for the rivalry game was fired up early.

Other statistical leaders: Hampshire’s Tymere Marshall ran 29 times for 152 yards and a touchdown. Quarterback Griffin Chamberlain completed 17 of 25 for 201 yards. Tyler Lacke caught 8 of those throws for 115 yards. For the Rockets, Parker Auxier rushed 14 times for 48 yards. His late touchdown gave the Rockets some breathing room. Reece Beemer was efficient, completing 10 of 14 for 79 yards.

Turning point: The second offensive drive. After Viebrock’s touchdown, Central led 7-6 four minutes in and it was looking like it might be a wild one. Then the defenses abruptly took over. The score remained 7-6 until Auxier raced around right end for a score with about five minutes left.

First-half highlight: There wasn’t a moment bigger than Viebrock’s return. He caught the kick, went to his right and found a huge hole. He outran a couple of would-be tacklers and raced to the end zone 14 seconds into the game.

Second-half highlight: Landen Lee stuffed Marshall for no gain on fourth-and-one with less than a minute left. After Auxier’s touchdown, Hampshire drove to the Rockets’ 38. On fourth down, the Whip-Purs needed a yard to keep the drive alive but Lee, who earlier came up with an interception, made the stop. Thereafter, the Rockets were able to run out the clock.

X-factor: Burlington’s bend-but-don’t-break defense. Hampshire racked up more than 350 total yards, but the Whip-Purs couldn’t score after their first drive. Hampshire reached Rockets territory six more times, but the drives ended with an incomplete pass in the end zone, two missed field goals, two interceptions—by Lee and Ben Atieh—and the final turnover on downs after Lee’s tackle.

Quote:“Our kids buckle down when they need to,” said Central coach Brian Iossi. “Our coaches make adjustments during a drive to fix some things. I’m proud of them. We can give them all the yards they want as long as we keep them out of the end zone and that’s exactly what we did.”