Beck reaches 4,000 yards, Yarber adds 81-yard TD as Zebras blank Lewis Cass

Val T.
Sep 20
5 min read

Defensive scoring average now ranks No. 2 in state

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

It was a historic night for senior fullback-linebacker Brant Beck, but afterwards, he deflected the credit.

He wants it to be about the Rochester football team, not him. He and his defensive mates who flattened visiting Lewis Cass in a 34-0 win at Barnhart Field Friday.

Beck ran for 197 yards and two touchdowns while crossing the 4,000-yard mark for his career, Jabez Yarber ran for 130 and a score, and Trenton Meadows and Carson Paulik also ran for touchdowns for Rochester, who improved to 4-1 overall and 4-0 in the Three Rivers Conference.

The spotlight was big enough for the defense. Lewis Cass fullback Gavin Smith, who came in averaging 142 yards rushing per game, ran for just 29 yards Friday as the Zebra defensive front wall often pushed the Lewis Cass offensive line back into Smith’s lap.

“The defense had a great plan, and the kids executed it,” Rochester coach Ron Shaffer said. “It was just awesome to watch. … The discipline… We had to have eye discipline. Everything that we do against that type of offense, you’ve got to be disciplined and watch your keys. The kids did it. I don’t know that they ever had a flaw – no big plays, no explosive plays. You’ve got to give Gavin Smith that, right? He’s going to get plays like that every once in awhile, but just a great overall job.”

Lewis Cass was held to three first downs. Their longest play from scrimmage was six yards. Rochester is allowing 2.8 points per game, which ranks No. 2 in the state. They have three shutouts this season and 13 in Shaffer’s five seasons as coach.

Rochester is 3-0 against Lewis Cass (3-2, 3-1 TRC) since Lewis Cass joined the TRC in 2023. Prior to that the Kings had beaten the Zebras five consecutive times.

Rochester took the opening kickoff and drove 60 yards in nine plays for a touchdown. Yarber had runs of 16 and 15 yards on the drive. He was just stopped short of the front left pylon of the end zone on the latter run, but Paulik scored on a quarterback sneak from the 1 on the next play, and Yarber added a two-point conversion run to make it 8-0.

Two Lewis Cass three-and-out drives sandwiched a Beck lost fumble, but on the first play of Rochester’s next drive, Shaffer called Beck’s number for gains of seven and nine yards.

After a holding penalty on the next play pushed the ball back to the 19, Yarber took a jet sweep around the left perimeter. He followed a lead block from Beck as tight end Grant Clark and center Derek Wortley walled off the rest of the Lewis Cass defense. Yarber went 81 yards down the left sideline for a touchdown and a 14-0 lead.

“Big game for him,” Shaffer said. “That’s good for him. He needed that. He blocks so well for us. For him to get that on a run, really nice for him to get that feel and get 100 yards.”

After another three-and-out, the Zebras drove 51 yards in 11 plays. Beck ran for 11 yards on fourth-and-5 from the Lewis Cass 36. On the next play, he joined the 4,000-yard club, following a big opening off right guard and pinballing off defenders until he got to the 4.

Beck said he is focused on team accomplishments.

“I wasn’t aware at all,” Beck said. “I’m not really worried about personal stats. I’m worried about if the team’s winning. I’m worried about if the team’s doing good as a whole.”

After a 7-yard loss on a botched exchange between Paulik and Meadows that led to a fumble that Meadows fell on, Beck followed with runs of five and four yards. Then, on fourth-and-goal from the 2, he went off the right side where Lewis Cass’ Eli Grist was waiting for him. Beck lowered his shoulder, Grist went backwards, and Beck was in the end zone.

Smith garnered Lewis Cass’ first first down with 4:04 left in the half, but that possession ended with another punt.

Lewis Cass punted on their first drive of the second half. On their second drive, Smith had back-to-back six-yard runs, but after gaining only one yard on the next three plays, they tried a fake punt on fourth-and-9. Smith, who is also the punter in addition to being the fullback, tried to run it around the right perimeter, but Grant Clark chased him out of bounds after a gain of only four yards.

Rochester ball.

“Obviously, he’s going to get the ball a lot,” Beck said of Smith. “He’s their fullback. He’s a good runner, but we just read our keys and shut him down.”

The Zebras then went on a 13-play, 62-yard drive – it included Beck converting a fourth-and-2 in Rochester territory – that Meadows capped with a 12-yard touchdown run on the first play of the fourth quarter.

Meadows added a two-point conversion run that made it 28-0.

A fumble on the ensuing kickoff – Grant Holloway forced it and Aiden Wilson recovered it – gave Rochester the ball at the Lewis Cass 34. Though the drive ended with no points, the Zebras milked another two-and-a-half minutes off the clock.

After forcing another Lewis Cass three-and-out, Beck took a handoff from his 20 and followed a seal block from Meadows that created an alley into the Lewis Cass secondary. Then it became a footrace between Beck and Lewis Cass’ Tyler Foley. Beck won the race all the way to the end zone for an 80-yard touchdown to complete the scoring.

“There’s a lot more leadership on the team and demanding more out of guys,” Beck said when asked what made this team unique in his four years on the varsity. “Because if they’re not doing their job, we will get on their butts.”

Zebra notes

Senior offensive guard-defensive tackle Callen Ferverda limped off with 10:58 to go with an apparent left ankle injury.
Senior offensive guard-defensive end Mason Hisey was back after suffering a knee injury in the previous game against Wabash. On one play, he shed his blocker and dropped Smith for a 5-yard loss.
Maconaquah edged Peru 31-28 Friday. Rochester and Maconaquah are the only two unbeaten teams left in the TRC. Rochester travels to Peru next Friday.
The list of 4,000-yard rushers in Rochester history is a bit unclear. Jim Swank and Alex Deming are known to have also reached the milestone, and there might be other members as well.
The student section seemed revived. Kids did cartwheels and performed fake CPR after Beck’s long touchdown run. Members of the girls basketball team have taken a greater role in leading the student section.