Zellmer found Luke Hueman for a 13-yard scoring strike with 2:12 left in the first quarter.
The Panthers — behind senior quarterback Sam Lundberg — finally started to make it interesting in the second quarter.
Only 11 seconds into it, Lundberg connected with David Lassahn for a 43-yard touchdown.
The Blossoms answered as Kartes caught a 9-yard touchdown a few minutes later.
On the Panthers’ next possession, Lassahn hauled in a 50-yard touchdown pass from Lundberg, who ran for the two-point conversion.
NRHEG trailed 27-14 at halftime.
The only scoring of the third quarter came on a 5-yard interception return for a touchdown by the Panthers’ Carter Tollefson, who made an outstanding athletic play, reading a screen pass and leaping to catch it. Lassahn caught a pass from Lundberg for the conversion, making it 28-22.
With 9:28 left in the fourth quarter, the Panthers struck again, in unusual fashion, scoring on a 52-yard screen pass from Lundberg to Jake Staloch on a play that isn’t even in the playbook.
“It was Staloch’s idea,” said Stork. “We drew it up in the huddle. Staloch said we should run a screen.”
Lundberg hit Nic Mangskau for the two-point conversion, putting the Panthers on top for the first time, 30-27.
Blooming Prairie won it in dramatic fashion, converting a fourth-down on a Zellmer pass as the clock was winding down. Zellmer scored the game-winner with 28 seconds left on a 1-yard run.
“Our guys bounced back and made it interesting,” said Stork.
The Panthers played without senior Geoff Ramaker, who’s sidelined up to five weeks with a broken foot.
The Panthers gained 223 of their 299 yards through the air as Lundberg completed eight of 16 attempts for 223 yards and two interceptions. Lassah caught four passes for 148 yards.
Dustin Esplan and Casey Rosacker led the Panthers with nine tackles each. Lundberg, Brandon LeBlanc and Seth Petranek each had eight tackles.
The Panthers are on the road this week, traveling to New Ulm to face Minnesota Valley Lutheran at 7 p.m. Saturday.
Blooming Prairie 33, NRHEG 30
BP 20 7 0 6 — 33
NRHEG 0 14 8 8 — 30
First Quarter
BP — Kartes 64 pass from Zellmer (Jones kick)
BP — Kartes 40 punt return (Jones kick)
BP — Hueman 13 pass from Zellmer (kick failed)
Second Quarter
NRHEG — Lassahn 43 pass from Lundberg (kick failed)
BP — Kartes 9 pass from Zellmer (Jones kick)
NRHEG — Lassahn 50 pass from Lundberg (Lundberg run)
Third Quarter
NRHEG — Tollefon 5 interception return (Lassahn pass from Lundberg
Fourth Quarter
NRHEG — Staloch 52 pass from Lundberg (Mangskau pass from Lundberg)
BP — Zellmer 1 run (kick failed)
BP NRHEG
First Downs 18 7
Yds. Rushing 127 76
Passing 22-33-3 8-16-2
Yds. Passing 362 223
Total Yds. 489 299
Penalties 9-63 4-20
Fumbles-lost 2-2 0-0
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing — NRHEG: Lundberg 14-64; Rosacker 1-8; Staloch 3-6; Krohn 1-2; BP: Kraling 11-63; Zellmer 16-24; Kartes 7-43; McCabe 2-12; Thomas 2-15
Passing — NRHEG: Lundberg 8-16-2, 223; BP Zelmer 22-33-3, 36
Receiving — NRHEG: Lassahn 44-148; Staloch 2-61; Parpart 1-11; Mangskau 1-3; BP: Kartes 7-157; Hueman 10-135; Thomas 4-65; Toquam 1-5
NRHEG DEFENSE (tackles)
Esplan 9; Rosacker 9; Lundberg 8; LeBlanc 8; Petranek 8, 2 fumble recoveries; Lassahn 7, 1 interception; Meyer 5; Staloch 6, 1 interception; Krohn 3; Minter 2; Parpart 2; Tollefson 2, 1 interception; Akemann 2; Erickson 2; Hanna 1; Webster 1; Claycomb 1
