by Scott DCamp
Sports Editor
Thief River Falls’ offensive woes continued Friday night as the Prowlers were shut out for the second consecutive week in a 28-0 loss to the Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton Rebals at Swenson Field in Thief River Falls.
It was the second consecutive shutout loss for the Prowlers, who moved the ball at times in their 2018 home opener, but were limited to just 109 yards of total offense. For Thief River Falls Head Coach Bryce Lingen, the final score didn’t tell the whole story.
“We need to finish,” Lingen said. “I was proud of our guys for fighting from the beginning to the end. DGF made some nice plays too. We just have to convert some more.”
Lingen said his team showed more resilience than it did a week prior against Park Rapids, and that needs to continue.
“You have to have that mentality of ‘You want to challenge us,’ OK, we’ll get the next play,” Lingen said. “The guys keep grinding. I liked our effort tonight much better than Park Rapids.”
Both teams entered the week three contest 0-2. The Rebels were coming off of a 28-8 loss to Barnesville in week one and a 40-34 shootout loss to East Grand Forks in week two. The Prowlers, meanwhile, were coming off a pair of road losses to Ottertail Central, 46-14, and Park Rapids 34-0.
DGF took the ball to open the game and put together a tone-setting 11-play 89-yard drive that ended with an incomplete pass on fourth and goal at the Thief River Falls 10-yard line.
Thief River Falls quarterback Grant Hartmann connected with Myles Johnson for seven yards on the first offensive play of the game for the Prowlers. However, a two-yard loss on the Prowlers’ first running play of the game and a fumbled snap on third and five led to a three and out.
DGF didn’t need as many plays to move the ball on its second possession. The Rebels put together an efficient five-play, 57-yard scoring drive that ended with a two-yard touchdown run by Bryce Anderson, with Justin Wang adding the two point conversion to make it 8-0.
Thief River Falls answered with its best drive of the night. Hartmann completed passes to Ty Johnson, Gunner Zutz, Aaron Bruggeman and Brenan Peralta on a nine-play drive that reached the DGF 30-yard line before ending on a fourth down interception by Jacob Ewan. Hartmann’s biggest completion on the drive – a 20-yard reception by Jarin Newland on a third and three at the DGF 25 – was wiped out by a questionable block in the back penalty on the opposite side of the field.
DGF used the momentum change to its advantage and marched 74 yards in six plays, with Anderson scoring for the second time on a 37-yard completion from quarterback Aiden Leach. Leach completed a pass to Tahran on the two-point play to put the Rebels up 16-0.
Thief River Falls followed up its longest drive of the game with its shortest. Following a 33-yard kickoff return by Kaden Bakken that set the Prowlers up at their own 43-yard line, Hartmann was picked off by Drew Coalwell. The DGF junior returned the ball to the Thief River Falls 45-yard line to set the Rebals up with a chance to make it a three-score game late in the first half.
The Rebels continued to move the ball but didn’t come away with any points after putting together an eight-play drive that ended on fourth down at the Thief River Falls eight-yard line.
Thief River Falls picked up a first down on each of its next two possessions but both ended in punts.
On its third consecutive possession that began in Thief River Falls territory, DGF put together an eight-play, 35-yard drive that ended on a 7-yard touchdown catch by Jacob Strand with just five seconds left in the half.
DGF concluded its scoring in the third quarter with five-play, 54-yard drive that ended with a 12-yard run by Jacob Strand.
Down 28-0 to start the fourth quarter, the Prowlers put together a drive that looked like it could end in points. Hartmann completed passes to Johnson and Zutz on a 13-play, 40-yard drive that was aided by a pair of 15-yard DGF penalties. The drive eventually stalled at the DGF 26-yard line, with Ewan picking off Hartmann to preserve the shutout.
Scoring……………….1 2 3 4 – T
DGF……………………. 8 14 6 0 – 28
Thief River Falls….. 0 0 0 0 – 0
DGF – Bryce Anderson 2-yard run, Justin Wang run.
DGF – Anderson 37-yard pass from Aiden Leach, Tanner Tahran pass from Leach.
DGF – Jacob Strand 7-yard pass from Leach, pass failed.
DGF – Strand 11-yard run, kick failed.
Team Statistics
First downs – DGF 19; TRF 10.
Fumbles (total-lost) – DGF 2-0; TRF 2-0.
Penalties (number-yards) – DGF 8-97; TRF 7-55.
Punts (number-average) – DGF 1-34.0; TRF 6-27.0.
Rushing (attempts-yards) – DGF 38-201; TRF 14-(-1).
Passing – DGF 12-for-25, 232 yards, 2 touchdowns; TRF 17-for-36, 110 yards, 3 interceptions.
Total yards – DGF 433; TRF 109.
Individuals
Rushing – (DGF) Austin Wang 23-104; (TRF) Brenan Peralta 3-12.
Passing – (DGF) Aiden Leach 12-for-25, 232 yards, 2 touchdowns; (TRF) Grant Hartmann 17-for-36, 110 yards, 3 interceptions.
Receiving – (DGF) Tanner Tahran 3-71; (TRF) Gunner Zutz 4-38.
Midwest District – Red Conf. Overall
Detroit Lakes……….2-0…………3-0
East Grand Forks.. 2-0…………3-0
Park Rapids…………1-1………….2-1
Pequot Lakes……….1-1………….2-1
Perham……………….1-1………….2-1
DGF………………….. 1-1………….1-2
Fergus Falls………..0-2…………0-3
Thief River Falls….0-2…………0-3
Sept. 14 – Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton 28, Thief River Falls 0; Detroit Lakes 49, Fergus Falls 7; Perham 34, Pequot Lakes 32; East Grand Forks 13, Park Rapids 12.
Sept. 21 – Perham at Thief River Falls; Fergus Falls at East Grand Forks; Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton at Pequot Lakes; Park Rapids at Detroit Lakes.