Sports

Panthers quick start leads to Braves fourth straight loss

By Tyler Ohmann

09/24/2013

It did not take long for the Rugby Panthers to get out to a comfortable lead last Friday as they hosted the Bottineau Braves in Class A football action. They turned that early lead into a 48-12 victory.

The Panthers scored five times in the opening quarter to open up a 35-0 lead.

Brad Heidlebaugh was instrumental in the scoring surge as he tossed two touchdowns and ran in another from 22 yards out.

Catching the passes from Heidlebaugh were Chris Hamilton and Tanner Bernhardt. Bernhardt also ran one in himself in the first quarter. Eric Hooker put the Panthers up 35-0 with a five-yard run late in the opening frame.

“This game we definitely struggled slowing Rugby down on both sides of the ball,” stated Braves head coach Rob Bedlion. “The guys played hard and gave a good effort but I was disappointed in the turnovers we had early in the game.”

“We just can’t give a very good team short fields to work with, Rugby was able to score on several big plays and also convert with the short fields we gave them,” Bedlion added.

The Rugby lead got to as much as 42-0 before Bottineau was able to put a score on the board, and that was in the fourth quarter.

The first Bottineau score came when senior quarterback Andrew Hill scampered in from six yards out.

Rugby answered with a short touchdown run of their own, but Bottineau would get on the board once more.

For the second game in a row Braden Pewe scored late in the fourth as he broke a 68-yard touchdown run.

Pewe finished with 113 yards rushing on eight carries. Ethan Kerslake added 66 yards on 16 carries for a Braves offense that rushed for 205 yards on the day.

“I thought we had good play from our running backs and they are gaining confidence as we move forward,” Bedlion stated.
Hill finished 2-for-6 for 11 yards through the air.

Senior John Gohman received both of Hills two completions for the 11 yards.

Senior Jake Carroll led the Braves with 10 tackles. Jayhawk Shriver and senior Cody Bedlion had nine tackles a piece.

Bedlion knows it has and will be a difficult road for the Braves, but hopes that things turn around next week as they host Surrey for homecoming.

“We have a long ways to go, but I know we will keep working hard and try to play our best next week against Surrey,” Bedlion stated.
The Braves and the Mustangs kick off at 7 p.m. on Friday.