WEM whipped NRHEG twice a year ago, 30-0 and 53-28. However, the Panthers stopped the Bucs opening drive and took over deep in their own territory.
Brad Claycomb received some great blocking on a power sweep and out ran everyone else to the end zone on an electrifying 86-yard run to put the Panthers on the board first. The two-point attempt failed, leaving NRHEG with an early 6-0 lead.
The Panther defense protected that lead the remainder of the quarter, but two turnovers in its own end turned the momentum to WEM.
Brady Ayers had scoring runs of eight, five and 10 yards in the second quarter, sending the Bucs to the locker room with an 18-6 lead.
The Buccaneer defense, plus a number of penalties, kept the Panthers from generating much offense in the second half.
WEM stretched its lead to 25-6 after three quarters. Travis Nusbaum got a hand up in front of an attempted screen pass and returned it 34 yards for a score. Derek Masberg kicked the PAT.
WEM tacked on a couple of fourth-quarter touchdowns to win going away.
Ayers recorded his fourth score of the night by crashing into the end zone from two yards out, and Masberg booted the conversion.
Hunter Morsching blocked a Panther punt and fell on the loose ball in the end zone for the final score of the game.
WEM had a 12-5 advantage in first downs and a 227 to 166 margin in total yards, despite running six fewer plays than the Panthers.
NRHEG turned the ball over three times and was penalized nine times for 43 yards. The Bucs did not turn the ball over and were flagged just four times for 25 yards.
Claycomb finished with 100 rushing yards on 18 carries. He was held to just 14 yards on 17 attempts after he broke his big scoring run. Kevin Minter picked up 18 yards.
Ayers topped the WEM ground game with 76 yards on 19 carries. Porter Sheehy chipped in with 69 yards on 13 attempts.
Rosacker completed 5-11 passes for 33 yards.
Nick Bartness was the only Panther to catch more than one pass.
Ben Boran of the Bucs was 3-11 for 18 yards.
Dillon Parpart led the NRHEG defense with 15 tackles in the game. Noah Krell was in on 10 stops for the Panthers.
Bartness had eight hits for NRHEG, one more than Nic Goette.
“I was happy with the intensity and heart we played with, but the mistakes killed us,” said Stork. “The penalties never allowed us to get anything going in the second half.
The Panthers will host St. Charles in its homecoming contest Friday. The Fighting Saints are 1-4 this season, coming off a 41-24 victory over Wabashal-Kellogg last week.
WEM 38, NRHEG 6
NRHEG 6 0 0 0 6
WEM 0 18 7 13 38
Scoring
1st Quarter: (NR)-Claycomb 86 yd. run (EP-no).
2nd Quarter: (WEM)-Ayers 8 yd. run (EP-no).
(WEM)-Ayers 5 yd. run (EP-no).
(WEM)-Ayers 10 yd. run (EP-no).
3rd Quarter: (WEM)-Nusbaum 34 yd. interception (EP-Masberg kick).
4th Quarter: (WEM)-Ayers 2 yd. run (EP-Masberg kick).
(WEM)-Morsching recovered blocked punt in end zone (EP-no).
Team Statistics
NR WEM
First Downs 5 12
Yds. Rushing 43/101 43/209
Yds. Passing 65 18
Passes 8-17 (1) 3-11 (0)
Total yds. 60/166 54/227
Turnovers 3 0
Penalties/yd. 9/43 4/25
Individual Stats
NRHEG Rushing: Claycomb 18/100 (1 TD), Minter 10/18, Peterson 1/6, Tracy 1/2, Bartness 1/0, Rosacker 11/24.
NRHEG Passing: Rosacker 5/11 (1 intcp.), 33 yds; Tracy 2-3, 20 yds; Claycomb 1-3, 12 yds.
NRHEG Receiving: Bartness 2/10, Webster 1/18, Peterson 1/12, Parpart 1/11, Tollefson 1/8, Claycomb 1/4, Sletten 1/2.
NRHEG Defense: Parpart-15 tackles, Krell-10, Bartness-8 (recovered on-side kick), Goette-7, Peterson-5, Claycomb-4, Minter-4, Rosacker-3, White-3, Tollefson-2, Jewett-2, Webster-1.
NEXT: Friday-St. Charles at NRHEG (HC), 7 p.m.
