GWINNER, N.D. (NewsDakota) – Milnor/North Sargent got great special teams play, big defensive stops and enough offense to pick up a 40-26 homecoming win over Ellendale/Edgeley-Kulm Friday in Gwinner.
The Bulldogs led 34-12 with 8:52 to go in the third quarter only to see that lead shrink to 34-26 thanks to Adam Nitschke’s late game comeback for the Thunder.
Bulldog head coach Eric Olson’s says a win is a win.
Milnor/North Sargent scored first on a safety. After punter Troy Dietz pinned E-E-K inside the five yard line with a 47 yard punt, Josh Martinson ran Jorgen Paulson out of the end zone on an attempt reverse to pick up the safety.
On the ensuing drive, the Bulldogs got great starting field position after the free kick. T.J. Johnson wasted not time, scoring on a 35 yard run. Dillion Schreiner scored on the conversion to make it 10-0 midway through the first quarter.
The Thunder cut into the lead on Dilan Madcke’s first of two touchdowns. It was the first ponts of the season for the Thunder. Madcke ended with 67 yards on 14 carries
T.J. Johnson would add another score midway through the second quarter for an 18-6 lead. After a bad snap went over Dietz’s head on a punt attempt, the Thunder took over at the Bulldog six. On the first play. Madcke would make it 18-12. Then just before halftime, Martinson caught a 25 yard scoring strike from Logan Wyum. Johnson added the extra point making it 26-12 at the break.
Milnor/North Sargent would open the second half scoring when Martinson and Wyum hooked up again, this time from 27 yards out. Martinson scored the conversion to make it 34-12. Wyum, filling in for injured starter Dawson McKeever, was 12-28 for 152 yards and two scores. More importantly, no turnovers. Coach Olson says Wyum is stepping into a tough situation.
The Thunder would not go quietly, however, head coach Jon Schiele put in freshman quarterback Adam Nitschke who would promptly make his mark. On his first throw of the game, he found Jace Hanson for a 36 yard touchdown. Phil Hagen scored the conversion make it 34-20 heading into the final quarter. Just 1:15 into that final quarter, Nitschke struck again. This time four yards to Hagen. The conversion failed to trim the lead to 34-26 with nearly an entire quarter left.
After the teams exchanged field position punts, the Bulldogs got the insurance they needed. Dillon Schreiner returned a punt 62 yards to the Thunder five yard line. Johnson would score his third touchdown, two plays later for the final margin of victory.
Josh Martinson had 99 yards on seven catches to lead the Bulldog receiving corp. Johnson added 87 yards on 23 carries with three touchdowns.
Off the bench, Nitschke was 4 for 14 for 92 yards and two scores. But he also threw two late interceptions to help the Dawgs hold on.
Next up for the 3-0 Bulldogs, undefeated, number one ranked and defending state champs from Hillsboro/Central Valley.
Coach Olson says, the next two weeks will be extremely tough.
Ellendale/Edgeley-Kulm, now 0-3, head home to face Lisbon next week. That will be the Game of the Week on Thunder Country 98.3 and newsdakota.com. Pregame at 6:40, kickoff is at 7pm.