Panthers QB goes for six TDs in win

Published 12:19 pm Saturday, September 27, 2008

The No. 10-ranked New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva football team unveiled a new threat Friday night against Maple River in a 56-8 blowout victory.

Running back Greg Ramaker was the biggest story for the Panthers (4-1, 3-1) early on in the season as he put up gaudy numbers rushing, but Friday it was quarterback Payden Peterson lighting up the scoreboard with his six-touchdown performance.

Peterson completed just five passes, but four of those went for touchdowns and Peterson finished the night 5-of-6 with 114 yards. As dangerous as Peterson was through the air, he was just as vicious running the ball. Peterson reeled off touchdown runs of 28 yards and 40 yards in the first half and finished the game with 95 yards rushing, giving him 209 yards of total offense, nearly half of NRHEG’s production on homecoming night.

Email newsletter signup

“He had a big night,” Panthers head coach Dan Stork said. “Every week it seems like he’s getting more and more comfortable.”

It’s Peterson’s first year under center for NRHEG after three-year starter Dakota Tracy graduated, and with Peterson’s running ability he’s beginning to look like nothing has changed at the quarterback position.

Peterson’s ability to air it out opened up opportunities for the Panthers. In the early stages of the game the Eagles (0-4, 0-3) stacked the line of scrimmage with 10 men to stop the run, but Peterson burnt the Maple River defense with a 33-yard touchdown pass to Jon Kormann in the first quarter and Ramaker was able to run more efficiently. Ramaker finished the game with 118 yards rushing and one touchdown.

Stork said it was a nice bounce back win after losing 16-12 to rival Waterville-Elysian-Morristown. The Panthers have a showdown with Minnesota Valley Lutheran next week at home. The Chargers are also 3-1 in conference after defeating Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop who was previously undefeated in the conference.

NRHEG 56, Maple River 8

Maple River – 0 0 0 8 – 8

NRHEG – 28 20 0 8 – 56

First Quarter

NRHEG – Greg Ramaker 26 run (kick failed) 7:52

NRHEG – Payden Peterson 28 run (Peterson run) 6:06

NRHEG – Kormann 33 pass from Peterson (Colton Schlaak kick) 4:27

NRHEG – Schlaak 26 pass from Peterson (Schlaak kick) 3:46

Second Quarter

NRHEG – Kormann 9 pass from Peterson (Schlaak kick) 9:01

NRHEG – Peterson 40 run (Schlaak kick) 7:18

NRHEG – Tyler Firme 39 pass from Peterson (kick failed) 5:32

Third Quarter

No scoring

Fourth Quarter

NRHEG – Derek Hanson 55 run (conversion good) 11:49

Maple River – Scott Schoneck 3 run (Nowak pass from Walser) 3:17

Total offense

Maple River – 110

NRHEG – 464

Total rushing

Maple River – 81

NRHEG – 328

Total passing

Maple River – 29

NRHEG – 136