289 & 5 Leads R-P to #2

R-P football usually has a pretty darn good running back.  This season, senior Triton Meldahl has used his speed to fly around/past foes.  The 5’11” 160-pounder capped a huge regular season, helping the Trojans to a wild win over Hayfield.  Triton notched career highs with 289 yards and 5 TDs on 28 carries (scores of 24, 40, 17, 73, and 71 yards).  Despite that, the game was a fight.  The Trojans led 13-0 and 20-7 in the first half, only for the Vikings to pull to within 13-7 and 20-15.  The R-P lead was 26-15 at intermission.  Meldahl’s fourth TD (73 yards) made it 32-15 in the third.  Hayfield then got a good kick-off return, setting up a 6-play, 49-yard drive.  Karver Heydt’s 1-yard TD run (plus conversion) made it 32-23.  R-P fumbled the ensuing kick-off.   Hayfield was stopped in the red zone.  Later, Viking Dawson Andree returned a punt 78 yards to pay-dirt to make the score 32-29.  In the fourth, Hayfield muffed a punt in R-P territory.  Two plays later, Meldahl scored from 71 yards, finally giving R-P a firm grip.  Davin Thompson’s group prevailed, 38-29.  Malachi Bunke (10-17, 95 yards TD, INT), Justin Ruberg (4-64 receiving), and Vinnie Mason (3-yard TD reception) helped the Trojan cause.  Brady Nelson (24-51, 249 yards, 2 TDs passing) led a mostly aerial Viking attack.  Patrick Towey (8-101, 2 TDs receiving) was his top receiver.  Five Vikings had at least two receptions.  R-P had 300-plus yards rushing, Hayfield 30.  The Trojans (3-1, 6-2) finish second in the MSE-East to L-A (4-0, 8-0).  R-P is 1A’s 2-seed and will host 7-seed W-K (1-7).  Second-ranked BP (8-0) is the 1-seed.