NEW RICHLAND &8212; Everything continued to fall in place for the New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva football team Friday night in New Richland when they outlasted Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop in their toughest battle to date 15-7.

This is a win that takes a big burden off the Panthers&8217; quest for a perfect season as the Thunderbirds had beaten NRHEG three consecutive time heading into Friday&8217;s game.

&8220;That was definitely our toughest game so far,&8221; said Panther&8217;s head coach Dan Stork. &8220;After the last three years it was nice to finally get a win against those guys.&8221;

Blake Kerkhoff got the Panthers on the board first with just 31 seconds remaining in the first quarter on a 64 yard run for a 7-0 NRHEG advantage. Kerkhoff once again carried the load on the ground for NRHEG with 20 carries for 170 yards and one touchdown.

The score would stay tied at seven each until the fourth when with 10:45 remaining the Thunderbirds evened the score at 7-7 on a nine yard score.

Just as this game looked to be headed to overtime Dakota Tracy rumbled 26 yards with 2:12 left on the clock and secured the Panthers Gopher Valley AA victory.

With the win NRHEG remains undefeated on the year at 6-0 and hopes to remain in New Richland throughout the playoffs. But first they host their rivals from United South Central next Friday at New Richland.

New Richland 15, Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop 7

NRHEG – 7

0

0

8 – 15

GFW

–

0

0

0

7 –

7

First Quarter

NRHEG – Blake Kerkhoff 64 run (kick good)

Fourth Quarter

GFW – Riebe 9 run (kick good)

NRHEG – Dakota Tracy 26 run (conv. good)