MURDOCK -- A second-half comeback came up short and Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg (4-1) lost to a quick Ottertail Central team 16-12 on Friday.
Down 16-0 at intermission, the top-rated team in Class A took the kickoff and got to the Bulldogs' one but fumbled.
In the fourth quarter, quarterback Kevin Steinhaus threw to Taylor Freetly for a 21-yard score to make it 16-6 when the two-point conversion failed. The Saints scored again on an eight-yard Steinhaus pass to Mitch Hagen with 5:29 left.
But the Bulldogs, who rushed for 307 yards, ran out the clock top preserve the win.
OTC took the game's opening kickoff 75 yards in a in a march that occupied 8:48 on the clock, scoring on a Erik Smith to Shane Winkler hook-up.
ADVERTISEMENT
Amin Daher booted a 33-yard field goal for a 9-0 lead and Alex Ukkelberg busted a 25-yard run up the gut to make it 16-0.
KMS had three first downs in the first half.
Joey Bauman in on 18 tackles, one a sack, led the busy KMS defense while Hagen was in on 17 stops.
Joel Bauman rushed for 182 yards in 27 snaps.
OTC 16, KMS 12
OTC 6 10 0 0 -- 16
KMS 0 0 0 12 -- 12
OTC - Shane Winkler 10 pass from Erik Smith (kick fail)
ADVERTISEMENT
OTC - Amin Daher 33 field goal
OTC - Alex Ukkelberg 25 run (Daher kick)
KMS - Taylor Freetly 21 pass from Kevin Steinhaus (pass fail)
KMS - Mitch Hagen 8 pass from Steinhaus (kick fail)
Otter Tail Central
Team statistics
First downs: 14 ... Rushing: 51-307 ... Passing (com-att-yds-int.): 2-4-29-1 ... Fumbles lost: 0 ... Penalties: 3-35
Individual statistics
ADVERTISEMENT
Rushing: Erik Smith 20-118, Shane Winkler 15-69, Alex Ukkelberg 4-34 ... Passing: Smith 2-4-29-1 ... Receiving: Shane Winkler 2-29 ... Punting: Troy Thorson 2-35.0 ... Interceptions: none ... Fumble recoveries: not available
KMS
Team statistics
First downs: 15 ... Rushing: 37-257 ... Passing (com-att-yds-int.): 4-7-53-0 ... Fumbles lost: 1 ... Penalties: 11-66
Individual statistics
Rushing: Mitch Hagen 7-45, Kevin Steinhaus 3-30, Joel Bauman 27-182 ... Passing: Steinhaus 4-7-53-0 ... Receiving: Taylor Freetly 3-45, Hagen 1-8 ... Punting: Freetly 4-28.0 ... Interceptions: Steinhaus ... Fumble recoveries: none ... Tackles (solo-assist): Joey Bauman 6-12, Mitch Weflen 3-8, Adam Wentzel 0-6, Mitch Fernholz 2-5, Aaron Zimmer 5-8, Chris Desanto 0-5, Freetly 5-5, Brad Kneisal 4-4, Mitch Hagen 4-13, Jake Armstrong 1-3 ... QB sacks: Joey Bauman
