NRHEG improves record to 2-1
RUNNING ALL OVER — Sawyer VanMaldeghem ran all over the NYA defense for 171 yards. Star Eagle photos by Chris Schlaak
By JIM LUTGENS
Publisher
NRHEG High School football fans who wanted to see the Panthers had a long drive last week. On Friday, Sept. 14, they got to show the home fans.
After a rather slow start, and despite numerous penalties and turnovers, the Panthers found another way to win big, dispatching Norwood-Young America 33-8.
The win was the second in a row for first-year head coach Mark Kruger and the Panthers, who had the misfortune of facing defending Class AA state runner-up Pipestone Area in the opener. The Panthers improved to 2-0 in district play while the Raiders fell to 0-2 in the district and 0-3 overall.
"It was a great team win," said Kruger. "Offensively, we had a lot of explosive plays."
The Panthers wasted little time putting points on the scoreboard.
After forcing a three and out on the game's first possession, Sawyer VanMaldeghem skirted the right sideline and sprinted 64 yards for a touchdown on the Panthers' first play from scrimmage. Ben Schoenrock added the PAT kick and it was 7-0 with 10:23 left in the first quarter.
"That touchdown run on our first offensive play was huge," said Kruger.
The Raiders responded with a nice drive, starting at their own 20-yard line but were stalled on fourth down at the NRHEG 30 yard line with an incomplete pass.
A holding penalty hampered the Panthers' next drive, which ended with a punt.
A fumble set up the Raiders' lone score as they recovered at the NRHEG 5-yard line, setting up a 1-yard touchdown run by Holden Rickaby. Austin Smith passed to Ben Wickenhauser for the two-point conversion and the visitors led 8-7 with 5:50 remaining in the first half.
The Panthers responded. They went 63 yards in eight plays despite an apparent long touchdown run by Kordell Schlaak negated by a holding penalty. The drive concluded with a Blake Ihrke 43 yard touchdown pass to Lonnie Wilson. Wilson caught the pass about 20 yards downfield, pivoted, then pulled away from defenders as he made his way to the end zone. Schoenrock's PAT kick was good and it was 14-8 NRHEG.
Just before halftime NRHEG took over on its own 9 with 56 seconds left in the half. The Panthers quickly moved the ball, using the sideline to stop the clock. Ihrke passed 32 yards to Wilson, who broke several tackles taking it to the 2-yard line. After an incomplete pass, VanMaldeghem was stopped inches short of the goal line as time expired in the first half.
After an NRHEG punt, the defense did the job for the Panthers in the third quarter, as Wilson scooped up a fumble and raced 40 yards up the right sideline for a touchdown. A missed PAT left it 20-8.
Another three and out followed, and the Panthers faced a fourth-and-15 play from the Raiders' 32. It looked like disaster as the snap to Ihrke was low, but he scooped it up, evaded pass rushers and threw to Jacob Schuller for a touchdown. Schoenrock's PAT kick made it 27-8 with 2:03 left in the third.
The Raiders fumbled on their next play and Alex Buckmeier recovered for the Panthers, who scored on a 32-yard touchdown run by Tyler Jacobson on their next play to make it 33-8.
Schuller blocked a punt on the Raiders' next possession, but the NRHEG drive was thwarted by consecutive holding penalties despite a couple nice pass plays from Ihrke to Wilson.
Reserves played much of the fourth quarter for both squads.
The Panthers totaled 14 first downs and 408 yards of offense, including 255 yards rushing on 35 attempts, an average of 7.3 yards per carry. VanMaldeghem ran 13 times for 171 yards, Jacobson four for 47 and Andrew Reich five for 41. Ihrke was 9-for-11 passing for 153 yards and no interceptions. Wilson had four catches for 91 yards, Schuller three for 38.
"Ihrke threw the ball well really well," said Kruger. "That was something we thought we could do to their defense."
The Panthers' defense was tough for the second straight week, Kruger praising the play of Buckmeier, Hunter Knutson and Quentin Arndt, who he said were almost unblockable. Each had a sack. Recovering fumbles were Schuller, Wilson, Bailey, Spencer Tufte and Conner Okland. Nick Staloch was in on 12 tackles, Jacobson 11 and Buckmeier nine.
"Our defense did a great job," said the coach.
The Panthers overcame nine penalties for 110 yards, something Kruger said they need to fix.
"This is now the third game in a row where we shot ourselves in the foot too much," he stated. "We had a 50-yard TD run by Schlaak called back on a holding call, and an 80 yard-pick six by Bailey called back on a block in the back and defenseless player hit. Altogether we had over 100 yards in penalties. That we need to get fixed. I think we will be one scary team if we play a perfect game."
NRHEG is on the road Friday, Sept. 21, traveling to Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop.
NRHEG 35, LSH 14
LSH 0 7 7 0 — 14
NRHEG 14 7 7 7 — 41
First Quarter
NRHEG — Jongbloedt 18 run (Prigge kick)
NRHEG — Hoppe 1 run (Prigge kick)
Second Quarter
LSH — Barron interception return (Pliesies kick)
NRHEG — Cole 59 pass from Palmer Peterson (Prigge kick)
Third Quarter
NRHEG — Perry Peterson 1 run (Prigge kick)
LSH — Miller 71 pass from Eccles (Pliesies kick)
Fourth Quarter
NRHEG — Cole 4 pass from Palmer Peterson (Prigge kick)
LSH NRHEG
First Downs 8 18
Rushing attempts 26 48
Yds. Rushing 68 230
Passing 8-21-0 9-12-1
Yds. Passing 137 169
Total plays 47 60
Total Yds. 205 399
Penalties 8-65 5-55
Fumbles-lost 1-0 3-1
Third down 1-10 9-13
Punts-Avg. 7-29.1 3-33.3
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing — NRHEG: Jongbloedt 21-152; Perry Peterson 12-82; Hoppe 5-10; Bailey 1-2; VanMaldeghem 2 —3; Palmer Peterson 7 —13; LSH: Eccles 15-51; Block 8-16; Carlson 1-1
Passing — NRHEG: Palmer Peterson 9-12-0, 169; LSH: Eccles 8-20-0, 137; Luna 0-1-0, 0
Receiving — NRHEG: Cole 6-134; N.Sletten 2-24; K.Sletten 1-11; LSH: Miller 2-88; Barron 1-15; Carlson 2-15; Luna 2-13; Kaelberer 1-6.
NRHEG DEFENSE (tackles)
K.Sletten 8, Agrimson 5.5, Pe. Peterson 3.5, Hoppe 3.5, Cole 2.5, Erickson 2.5, Schultz 2, Staloch 1.5, Buckmeier 1.5, Fitterer 1.5, VanMaldeghem 1, Pa. Peterson 1