Conversion Lifts R-P to 8-7 Win

What’s that old saying?  It all comes down to this.  For Rushford-Peterson football, it literally all came down to a couple plays late (on their last possession) in the game versus Goodhue.  Both resulted in scores, giving Davin Thompson’s group a good early season win.  In a battle between two rivals who seemingly always play each other very tight, it was defensive slobber-knocker.  The squads combined for ten punts and three turnover-on-downs.  Goodhue moved the ball effectively in the first half, but not the second (where three of four possessions were three-and-out).  R-P moved the ball effectively in the second half, but not the first (where the first five possessions resulted in punts).  The only score in three plus quarters was a second stanza Sam Opsahl to Kyle Schoenfelder 2-yard TD pass, giving the Wildcats a 7-0 lead.  Late in the fourth, on the wings of back-to-back drives that went 17 plays and 9 plays but ended on downs, the Trojans finally persevered to pay-dirt.  It took 10 plays to go 34 yards.  R-P converted a critical 4th and 2 at the Wildcat 26 (Malachi Bunke 11-yard pass to Vinnie Mason).  They converted a 3rd and 5 at the Wildcat 10 (Peyton Morrison 9-yard run).  After back-to-back first and goals from the one were stuffed, Morrison finally punched through for the TD.  R-P then elected to go for two, getting a Bunke to Tommy Ekern pass conversion for the 8-7 lead!  Goodhue then had time for five plays, but got to just the R-P 43 yard-line before time expired.  The Trojans eked out the win.  Triton Meldahl (20-107 rushing), Bunke (7-18, 77 yards, TD passing), Mason (2-39 receiving), and Morrison (11-31, TD rushing) did the most work for R-P.  Opsahl (10-15, 99 yards, TD passing) and Schoenfelder (10-22 rushing; 2-16, TD receiving) got the Wildcats in the end zone.  Goodhue was held to just 83 yards on 31 rushing attempts.  R-P had 12 first downs to Goodhue’s 10.  R-P out-gained the Wildcats 136 to 32 in the second half.  The win ended a four-game losing streak for the Trojans in the series.  Six of the team’s last seven meetings have been decided by a touchdown or less.  R-P is 0-0, 2-1.  The Wildcats had received votes to be ranked in state (#12 in Class A).