Seven turnovers lead to loss for football team
By JIM LUTGENS
Editor/Publisher
It’s doubtful that NRHEG football coach Dan Stork will install the run-and-shoot offense this season, but the Panthers shot themselves in the foot last Friday.
NRHEG committed seven turnovers — three fumbles and three interceptions — and lost the ball on a muffed punt while falling 14-8 at Lake Crystal/Wellcome Memorial.
“It’s hard to win when you give it back to them seven times,” said Stork, whose team saw its record slide to 1-1.
The Panthers played a tough defensive game, starting with the game’s first possession when they forced a punt after three plays. That’s where the muff came into play, giving LCWM the ball on the Panther 49-yard line. Nine plays later they scored on a touchdown pass, adding the extra point for a 7-0 lead.The Panthers finally got the ball and, on their first play, fumbled.
And that’s what happened on NRHEG’s next two possessions, fumbles in the red zone, one from the 5-yard line.
It was 7-0 at halftime.
The Panthers put together a 21-play drive to start the third quarter, getting inside the LCWM 10-yard line, but they turned it over on downs after a couple costly penalties.
LCWM scored its final touchdown midway through the fourth quarter on a 4-yard run. The PAT kick was good.
With 3:28 remaining, the Panthers got on the scoreboard on a 20-yard pass from Trevor Tracy to Jet Wayne. Tracy passed to Karter Sletten for the two-point conversion.
The Panthers ran for 204 yards, led by sophomore Jason Jongbloedt with 150 yards on 23 carries. Nick Bartness gained 53 on eight attempts.
After a big night through the air in the season opener, the Panther passing attack was held to 72 yards on three completions in 13 attempts. Tracy threw two interceptions. Spencer Tollefson, who had 193 receiving yards and three touchdowns in week one, was held without a catch.
Bartness led the defense with 14 tackles, seven of them solo. Matt Jensen had five solo tackles, Tollefson four, Wyatt Fitterer and Palmer Peterson three apiece. Zeke Erickson recovered a fumble.
Lake Crystal/WM 14, NRHEG 8
NRHEG 0 0 0 8 8
LCWM 7 0 0 7 14
Scoring
1st Quarter
LCWM — Scott pass from Graupman (kick successful)
2nd Quarter
No scoring
3rd Quarter
No scoring
4th Quarter
LCWM — Graupman 4 run (kick successful)
NRHEG — Wayne 20 pass from Tracy (Sletten pass from Tracy)
Team Statistics
NRHEG LCWM
First downs 14 15
Yds. Rushing 204 212
Yds. Passing 72 89
Passes 3-13-3 7-13-0
Total yds. 276 301
Turnovers 7 0
Penalties 7-75 5-55
Individual Stats
NRHEG rushing: Jongbloedt 23-150; Bartness 8-53; Hoppe 2-4; Tollefson 1-2; Tracy 3 —17
NRHEG passing: Tracy 3-12-2, 72; Tollefson 0-1-1, 0
NRHEG receiving: Cole 1-26; Jongbloedt 1-26; Wayne 1-20
LCWM rushing: Sheetz 28-134; Graupman 20-59; Nietzel 5-19
SE passing: Graupman 7-13-0, 89
SE receiving: Menne 3-28; Welsch 2-43; Scott 2-18
NRHEG defense: Bartness 14 tackles; Jensen 11; Hoppe 9; Fitterer 8; Tollefson 5; Palmer Peterson 5; Schultz five; Erickson four, 1 fumble rec.; Sletten 3; Jongbloedt 2, Cole 2; Maxon 2; C.Pederson 2; Merritt 1; Tracy 1.
NEXT: Friday – NRHEG at Faribault Bethlehem Academy, 7 p.m.