Loyola’s tough year continued as the Crusaders lost their seventh consecutive game.
NRHEG decided the outcome early, scoring the first three times it had the ball.
Dillon Parpart rambled 29 yards to pay dirt on the fifth Panther play of the game. The extra point failed, leaving NRHEG with an early 6-0 lead.
After forcing a Loyola punt, the Panthers covered 63 yards in just four plays to increase their lead. Parpart got his second score of the night, this one from 31 yards out.
Trevor Tracy found Preston Peterson for the two-point conversion as the lead jumped to 14-0.
NRHEG made it 21-0 before the end of the opening quarter. After recovering a Mankato fumble, Parpart romped to the end zone from 20 yards away. Tracy kicked the conversion.
“Dillon ran hard, as always,” said Stork. “He did a nice job of reading his blocks and getting behind his pads.”
Loyola’s only score of the game came in the second quarter, allowing the Crusaders to cut the deficit to 21-7. John Fink scored from two yards out and Mark Kortuem booted the extra point.
NRHEG went 64 yards in four plays before halftime to give the Panthers a comfortable 27-7 lead at the break.
Tracy and Peterson hooked up on a 53-yard scoring beauty for the six points.
NRHEG put together two scoring drives in the third quarter to wrap up the scoring.
NRHEG went 40 yards in five plays, capped by Spencer Tollefson’s four-yard run. Parpart kicked the extra point as the lead mounted to 35-7.
The NRHEG reserves put together a seven play, 81-yard drive late in the third quarter. Freshman Jason Jongbloedt did the honors from one-yard out.
The Panthers finished with a 366 to 21 total yards advantage, including 301 to a negative three on the ground.
Seven penalties and two turnovers were the only NRHEG negative stats in the game.
Parpart, who did not carry the ball in NRHEG’s first game, went over the 1,000-yard mark for the season. He averaged over seven yards per carry with 247 yards on 32 carries.
Jongbloedt chipped in with 33 yards on seven attempts.
Loyola’s top ball carrier finished with two yards for the night.
Tracy completed 2-8 passes for 65 yards and a score. Mankato’s Fink was 4-14 for 24 yards.
Parpart and Noah Krell led the Panther defense with five tackles apiece. Both had three solo tackles and Krell blocked a punt.
Trey Hoppe, Tollefson and Jet Wayne added two tackles apiece.
“Our defense was outstanding,” said Stork. “Hoppe did a good job filling in for Nick Bartness and Peterson played lockdown defense on a very good receiver.”
NRHEG closed the regular season on the road Wednesday at Winthrop, tangling with winless Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop. The Thunderbirds lost their seventh in a row Friday, falling to Lester Prairie 34-14.
Section play downs will open Tuesday. The Panthers are currently fifth in Section 3AA, which would have them opening on the road.
NRHEG 41, Loyola 7
Loyola 0 7 0 0 7
NRHEG 21 6 14 0 41
Scoring
1st Quarter: (NR) – Parpart 29 yd. run (EP-no).
(NR) – Parpart 31 yd. run (EP-Peterson pass from Tracy).
(NR) – Parpart 20 yd. run (EP-Tracy kick).
2nd Quarter: (M) – Fink 2 yd. run (EP-Kortuem kick).
(NR) – Peterson 53 yd. pass from Tracy (EP-no).
3rd Quarter: (NR) – Tollefson 4 yd. run (EP-Parpart kick).
(NR) – Jongbloedt 1 yd. run (EP-no).
4th Quarter: No scoring.
Team Statistics
NRHEG ML
First downs 17 2
Yds. Rushing 301 -3
Yds. Passing 65 24
Passes 2-9 (2) 4-14 (1)
Total yds. 56/366 33/24
Turnovers 2 1
Penalties/yds. 7/55 4/30
Individual Stats
NRHEG rushing: Parpart 32/247 (3 TDs), Jongbloedt 7/33 (1 TD), Logan 1/6, Tracy 3/6, Hoppe 3/5, Tollefson 1/4 (1 TD).
NRHEG passing: Tracy 2-8 (1 TD, 2 intcp.), 65 yds. Tollefson 0-1 (o TDs, 0 intcp.), 0 yds.
NRHEG receiving: Peterson 1/53 (1 TD), #18 1/12.
Loyola rushing: Sharpless 7/2, Price 1/0, Seifert 2/0, Fink 9/-5.
Loyola passing: Fink 4-14 4-14 (0 TDs, 1 intcp.), 24 yds.
Loyola receiving: Seifert 1/10, Eesley 1/9, Sharpless 1/5, Sellner 1/0.
NRHEG defense: Krell – 5 tackles (1 blocked punt), Parpart – 5, Tollefson – 2, Hoppe – 2, Wayne – 2, Peterson – 1, Sletten – 1, Stenzel – 1, Fitterer – 1, Logan – 1, Merritt – 1.
NEXT: Tuesday – Section 3AA quarterfinal, TBD, 7 p.m.
