NEW ULM — Minnesota Valley Lutheran University improved to 2-0 on the season with an 18-6 victory over Lake Crystal Welcome Memorial University on Friday night in a South Regional football game at Johnson Field, thanks to fourth-quarter touchdowns from Caden Peterson and Ben Price.
Peterson also scored in the second quarter.
Peterson scored on runs of 5 and 1 yards, and Price scored on a 3-yard scamper.
Nathan Sickler scored the Knights’ only touchdown on a 9-yard run with 43 seconds left in the game.
“I’m very happy with the win.” Chargers coach Jim Baboltz said. “The guys fought hard but I think we missed some chances early on and we weren’t able to capitalize on them. But we never let that get them down and we played well defensively, especially in the second half.”
Neither team was able to get much done offensively, with the Knights losing the ball twice in the first quarter, but the Knights defense held the Chargers off two fourth-down plays.
The Knights also became their own worst enemy with four holding calls.
The Chargers, who play next Friday at Le Sueur Henderson, scored midway through the second quarter.
Following an 18-yard punt return by Brennan Bendix, Peterson orchestrated a seven-play, 33-yard drive that ended with Peterson’s 5-yard run for a 6-0 lead.
That was their only point until the final quarter.
Bubolc was pleased that his defense forced turnovers in the first half.
“And we didn’t give them back.” He said. “When I’m plus-three in a match.”
MVL began its second scoring drive late in the third quarter after Caleb Hunter recovered a Knights fumble.
This time it was a 48-yard, 10-play march with Connor Board, Price and Peterson sharing the carries, with Price’s 14-yard run taking the ball to the 1-yard line before Peterson powerfully stomped into the end zone.
“At times I was excited about the way we ran the Via.” Buboltz said. “Again, we’ve got to keep working, but the way KP (Kayden Peterson) and Ben attacked in the second half was really good.”
After the Chargers defense frustrated the Knights’ next three attempts, MVL went 48 yards in six plays, helped by a personal foul call on the Knights.
Price ended the drive with a 3-yard run with just over three minutes left in the game.
“We’re going to continue to work on our power game and try to take care of the ball a little better.” Buboltz said. “We want to use the clock well. We want to control the ball. We know it’s going to be tough every week, and tonight we controlled the line of scrimmage.”
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