The Columbia High School football squad improved to 4-0 after outlasting previously unbeaten Roxana on the road Friday night, 34-29. 

Sophomore quarterback Xavier Voegele threw for 194 yards and three touchdowns for the Eagles.

Voegele’s first TD pass was to fellow sophomore Jackson Lawal for 17 yards at 4:19 of the first quarter. A Keegan Thompson run gave Columbia the two-point conversion and an 8-0 lead.

Roxana scored just 19 seconds later on a 72-yard TD run. The Shells then took the lead in the middle of the second quarter on a 10-yard TD run.

Columbia answered with a five-yard TD run by senior running back Jase Nelson, giving the Eagles a 14-13 lead. Right before halftime, Voegele connected with tall tight end Brody Landgraf on a seven-yard TD pass to put Columbia up 21-13. 

Roxana opened up the third quarter with a 15-yard TD run. 

Following a short TD run by Thompson for the Eagles, the Shells ended the frame with a seven-yard TD pass to take a narrow 29-28 lead entering the fourth quarter. 

The stage was set for the play of the game  that being a 52-yard TD pass from Voegele to Lawal in the first minute of the fourth quarter to put the Eagles back on top. 

Columbia’s defense held onto the lead from there. Thompson led Columbia’s defense with seven tackles and nine assists. 

“Our kids found a way to win,” Columbia head coach Scott Horner said after the game. “We didn’t execute offensively as consistently as I would have liked, but our kids played until the end and refused to lose. The defense was on the field far too long and Roxana started to wear us down, but again our guys found another gear and got it done.” 

Nelson ran for 99 yards and added 48 receiving yards on the night. 

For the season, Nelson has run for 452 yards (6.6 yards per carry) and four TDs in addition to 104 receiving yards and another score. 

Voegele has thrown for 460 yards and nine TDs this season – 241 of those yards and six of those TDs are to Lawal.

Columbia plays this Friday night at longtime Cahokia Conference rival Freeburg (3-1). The Midgets are coming off a 49-0 loss this past Friday to state-ranked Breese Central.

Horner said his team  has been fortunate to be 4-0, but he admires the dedication his players have shown thus far.

“Our team’s success has been primarily based on kids making plays when they needed to,” he said. “Our consistency has to get better but when we have needed the D to get a stop or the O to get in the endzone, they have done it.  They are very resilient and the offseason work is showing through.”