By Ryan Hanson, Tribune Sports Writer

LAKE CRYSTAL &045; The NRHEG Panthers advanced to the sectional semifinal round by beating the LCWM Knights in a up and down game.

The Panthers put up all of their points in the second half and defeated the Knights 36-31.

&8220;We didn’t come out of the gate well,&8221; said NRHEG head coach Dan Stork.

The Knights dominated the first half but only went into the half with a 10 point lead.

&8220;I told the boys they were walking home if we lost,&8221; said Stork jokingly about his half time speech

to his team.

Apparently the long walk was enough to motivate his team. The Panthers jumped to life in the second half scoring early and often.

NRHEG took the lead 14-10 halfway through the third quarter on a 20-yard touchdown pass from Dakota Tracy to Joe McGuire but the Knights came right back to score on a 70-yard passing play.

The Knights seemed to have taken the wind from the Panthers sails, but that would only last until the next play when Brad Kruckeberg scored on a 86-yard kickoff return.

From that point on the Panthers kept the lead.

Blake Kerkhoff scored two more touchdowns on the ground for the Panthers including a 59-yard sprint.

Kerkhoff finished the night with 123 yards and two scores. Chris Somage ran for 109 yards and the Panthers racked up 257 yards total rushing.

&8220;We dominated the line of scrimmage in the second half,&8221; said Stork &8220;On both sides of the ball.&8221;

The NRHEG defense only allowed 83 yards rushing and had one interception and a fumble recovery.

The Panthers will face WEM in Waterville on Saturday at 2 p.m. after it downed Montgomery-Lonsdale 29-15.

NRHEG 36, LCWM 31

NRHEG002016 &045; 36

LCWM010714 &045; 31

Second Quarter

LCWM &045;

Zach Johnson 4 run (Mike Kleine kick)

LCWM &045;

Kleine 32 field goal

Third Quarter

NRHEG &045; Chris Somage 2 run (conversion failed)

NRHEG &045; Joe McGuire 20 pass from Dakota Tracy (Justin stieglbauer from Tracy)

LCWM &045; Truman Hollerich 70 pass from Jesse Van Sickle (Kleine kick)

NRHEG &045;

Brad Kruckeberg 86 kickoff return (conversion failed)

Fourth Quarter

LCWM &045; Van Sickle 5 run (Kleine kick)

NRHEG &045; Blake Kerkhoff 4 run (McGuire from Tracy)

NRHEG &045; Kerkhoff 59 run (Kerkhoff run)

LCWM &045; Hollerich 15 pass from Van Sickle (Kleine kick)

NRHEGLCWM

First Downs1716

Rushing yards25783

Passing yards83277

Total yards340360

Penalties8-878-62

Turnovers23

Individual Statistics

Rushing &045; Kerkhoff 13-123, Somage 10-109, Tim Rysavy 1-19, Phil Olson 4-14

Passing &045; Tracy 6-16 83 yards

Receiving &045; Taylor Holland 3-42, McGuire 1-20, Olson 1-11, Justin Stieglbauer 1-10