Football: Patriots fall to Otters

Defense was key for both teams on Friday, Sept. 17, as the Patriot football team fell to Fergus Falls 13-6 at home.

In fact, the score was 7-6 until the final minute of play.

“What a great job by our defense,” head coach Bill Magnuson said. “They were unbelievable, especially in the red zone … I’m beyond proud of our kids, but we have got to find a way to get on top. (Fergus Falls) is a heck of a football team and it was basically a 7-6 game.”

So important was defense for the Patriots, it was also the source of their lone touchdown, with Darby Boelter scooping up a fumble near the sideline and hauling it 85 yards for the score in the first quarter. Offensively, however, the Patriots struggled, amassing just 117 total yards and failing to find the end zone.

“We didn’t have our best passing game,” Magnuson said. “Our pass protection was pretty dang good, I thought. We just weren’t able to hit some of our open guys.”

Clay Wolf led the offense on the ground with six rushes for 29 yards, while Ryan Harmala was the top receiver with three receptions.

The 0-2 Patriots now travel to Park Rapids on Friday, Sept. 24, for their first road game of the season.

“We had a little bit of an off night,” Magnuson said. “We’ll regroup and try to get better.”

Fergus Falls 0 0 7 6 -- 13

Pequot Lakes 6 0 0 0 -- 6

First quarter

PL-Darby Boelter 85 fumble recovery (kick failed) 4:06

Third quarter

FF- Landon Thacker 14 run (Jayden Manteufel kick) 10:47

Fourth quarter

FF-Griffin Babolian 42 run (kick failed) 1:02

Team statistics

Rushes-yards: PL 20-48, FF 41-117

Pass comp-att-int-yds: PL 8-24-2-59, FF 9-18-1-145

Total offense: PL 44-107, FF 58-262

Rushing: PL-Darby Boelter 5-12, Clay Wolf 6-29, Isaac Peterson 6-20, Grant Loge 2-(-3), Team 1-(-10)

Passing: PL-Loge 8-24-59

Receiving: PL-Ryan Harmala 3-14, Peterson 1-6, Cullin Kratochvil 2-25, Riggs Magnuson 1-16, Boelter 1-(-2)

1/2: Patriot quarterback Grant Loge drops back to pass against Fergus Falls on Friday, Sept. 17. Dan Determan / Echo Journal

2/2: Pequot Lakes junior Darby Boelter rushes around a block in the Patriots' loss to Fergus Falls on Friday, Sept. 17. Dan Determan / Echo Journal