WEM scores in final seconds to upend Panthers

By JIM LUTGENS

Editor/Publisher

Head coach Dan Stork had one word to sum up NRHEG’s Homecoming football game: heartbreaking.

The Panthers led arch-rival Waterville-Elysian-Morristown for almost all but 27 seconds of the game while falling 21-20 at New Richland Friday, Septl. 26.

“It was a heartbreaking loss for our guys,” said Stork, whose team fell to 0-3 in the conference and 1-4 overall.

For the second week in a row the Panthers outgained their opponents and, for a change, they played mistake-free football with no turnovers.

But it wasn’t enough on this night.

The Panthers led 7-0 after the first quarter on a 5-yard touchdown run by Trey Hoppe.

The Bucs knotted it in the second period, but the Panthers scored twice before halftime, on a 32-yard pass from Trevor Tracy to Spencer Tollefson and on a 5-yard run by Nick Bartness, to take a 20-7 lead.

The Bucs narrowed it to 20-14 in the third period and pounded home the final touchdown with 27 seconds on the clock.

“We finally had a game with no turnovers and still came up short,” said Stork.

But he couldn’t find fault with the Panthers’ effort.

“I am so proud of our kids after seeing how hard they played tonight,” he said. “We came up short, but it was not due to lack of effort. These guys are playing hard and that all we ever ask. We will continue to work hard and improve with each and every practice and hopefully be rewarded with a win at GFW next week.”

WEM 21, NRHEG 20

WEM 0    7      7     7         21

NRHEG 7    13    0     0         20

Scoring

1st Quarter

NRHEG — Hoppe 5 run (Tracy kick)

2nd Quarter

WEM — Wolters 2 run (Kewatt kick)

NRHEG — Tollefson 32 pass from Tracy (Tracy kick)

NRHEG — Bartness 5 run (kick failed)

3rd Quarter

WEM — Wolters 4 run (Kewatt kick)

4th Quarter

WEM — Wolters 10 run (Kewatt kick)

Team Statistics

WEM NRHEG

First downs 17 17

Yds. Rushing 164 201

Yds. Passing 118 139

Passes 11-17-0 8-14-0

Total plays 62 58

Total yds. 282 340

Turnovers 0 0

Penalties 4-20 7-60

Individual Stats

NRHEG rushing: Hoppe 17-94; Jongbloedt 11-48; Merritt 5-37; Bartness 6-12; Tracy 5-10

WEM rushing: Boran 23-97; Wolters 14-57; Ely 3-7; Dorenkemper 5-3

NRHEG passing: Tracy 8-14-0, 139

WEM passing: Dorenkemper 9-15-0, 78; others 2-2-0, 40

NRHEG receiving: Tollefson 5-83; Cole 1-37; Jongbloedt 1-11; Bartness 1-8

WEM receiving: Tegmeier 3-30; Olson 2-21; Boran 2-20; Wolters 1-19; Pope 1-11; Ayers 1-7

NRHEG defense: Bartness 9.5 tackles, 1 sack; Hoppe 9.5; Sletten 6.5; P.Peterson 3.5; Mrotz 3.5; Schultz 2.5, 1 sack; Erickson 2.5; Jongbloedt 2; Fitterer 2; Tollefson 2; Wayne 1; Stenzel 1; Jensen 1

NEXT: Friday – NRHEG vs. GFW at Winthrop, 7 p.m.