By JIM LUTGENS
Sports Editor
It's one of those rivalries that transcends the game itself, a time to throw the win-loss records out the window and expect an all-out battle.
That's what the NRHEG High School football team faced Friday, Oct. 13, when the Panthers came home from Janesville with a 12-6 overtime victory over Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton on wet, windy night. It was 46 degrees and rainy, with wind gusts up to 40 mph at the opening kickoff.
The win enabled the Panthers to return the Gold Brick - a traveling trophy when NRHEG meets JWP - back to New Richland after last year's Bulldog triumph.
"This was a slugfest of a game in the wind and rain," said NRHEG coach Marc Kruger, whose team won for the third week in a row.
But it wasn't easy.
"The conditions made it extremely difficult," said Kruger. "I am so proud of this team for how they stepped up and finished this game. This is the kind of game that proves how tough we are and how well we can play. It certainly was not the best game we have played, but we found a way to win, and that is what matters."
The Bulldogs took a 6-0 first-quarter lead with a 4-yard touchdown run by Nolan Morsching.
It remained 6-0 until the final period, when the Panthers knotted it with a 2-yard touchdown run by Harbor Cromwell. A failed two-point conversion try sent it to overtime, where the Panthers won it on an 11-yard touchdown pass from Alden Dobberstein to George Roesler.
If you look at only the statistics, you might think the Bulldogs won. They ran 47 plays to the Panthers' 44, outgaining them 136-70 in total yards and 84-59 rushing. NRHEG did not convert a third down the entire game.
Weather conditions hampered the Bulldogs’ potent passing game, as well as NRHEG’s aerial attack
After starting the season 0-4, it was the third consecutive win for the Panthers, who finished the regular season Wednesday at United South Central. Playoffs begin the following Tuesday.
NRHEG 12, JWP 6, OT
NRHEG 0 0 0 6 6 — 12
JWP 6 0 0 0 0 — 6
First Quarter
JWP - Morsching 4 run (conversion failed)
Second Quarter
No Scoring
Third Quarter
No Scoring
Fourth Quarter
NRHEG - Cromwell 2 run (conversion failed)
Overtime
NRHEG - Roesler 11 pass from Dobberstein (converstion failed)
NRHEG JWP
First downs 4 7
Total plays 44 47
Rushing yards 59 84
Passing 1-4-1 3-5-1
Passing Yds. 11 52
Total yards 70 136
Third down 0-9 3-11
Fourth down 1-5 0-4
Turnovers 1 2
Penalties 4-50 3-15
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing – NRHEG: Cromwell 14-41; Dobberstein 11-22; Flatland 3-8; Parpart 1-0; Raab 6 -12; JWP: N.Morsching 22-73; Melchior 4-11; L.Morsching 6-8; Bauer 3-2; Rest of Team 3 -10
Passing – NRHEG: Dobberstein 1-4-1, 11; Roesler 0-1-0, 0; JWP: Bauer 3-5-1, 52
Receiving — NRHEG: Roesler 1-11; JWP: Kronbach 1-40; N.Morsching 2-12
Defense – NRHEG: Flatland 8 solo tackles, 3 tackles for loss; Bartlett 7 tackles, 2 tackles for loss; Ihrke 4 tackles, 1 assist, 1 tackle for loss; Roesler 3 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 fumble recovery; Martens 3 tackles; Chrz 2 tackles, 1 interception; Cromwell 1 tackle; Parpart 1 tackle; Raab 1 tackle; Degen 1 tackle; Brouwers 1 tackle; Hutchens 1 assist; Rest of Team 4 tackles; JWP: N.Morsching 1 tackle, 2 assists; O'Brien 4 tackles, 2 assists; C.Quast 1 tackle; Melchior 3 tackles, 4 assists; Berndt 2 assists; McWaters 1 tackle, 1 assist; Born 2 tackles, 1 assist; L.Morsching 2 assists; A.Quast 4 tackles, 9 assists; Schlueter 3 tackles, 5 assists; Gartner 1 tackle, 7 assists