WILLMAR -- The Ridgewater football team started strong, then went to sleep against Northland on Saturday, losing a two-touchdown second-quarter lead and eventually the game, 17-14.
Northland receiver Zach Brandsted and quarterback Khaaliq Burroughs hooked up on two scoring passes, the last providing the winning points.
Ridgewater fell to 2-2 overall, and the Warriors play Fergus Falls on Saturday in Willmar.
"Tough loss for the guys," said Warriors head coach Rob Baumgarn. "We had the chances to pull away but mistakes and turnovers cost us."
The Warriors scored first on a turnover - Harry Cador forced a fumble that Rodney Lamar returned eight yards for a touchdown - but Ridgewater lost three fumbles and quarterbacks Trevor Nystrom and Cody Jaeger both threw interceptions.
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Ridgewater's Davontay Stevens put the Warriors up 14-0 with a three-yard run in the second quarter, but Northland and their own mistakes shut them down after that.
Northland's Jerry Guerrero hit a 32-yard field goal, and Bransted and Burroughs hooked up on the first of their two scoring passes, a 10-yarder, to pull Northland within four, 14-10, at halftime.
Burroughs threw an 11-yard scoring strike to Brandsted in the fourth.
Ridgewater ran the balleffectively, rolling up 231 yards. But the passing game produced just 64 yards and the two picks.
Stevens ended with 115 yards rushing on 21 carries, and Tyrell Martin carried 10 times for 92 yards.
Northland's Burroughs hit 20 of 36 passes for 264 yards and the two TDs and he was not intercepted. Brandsted caught 7 passes for 91 yards.
