Defense not enough for Razorbacks in opener By Nick Herman Monday, May 03, 2004 The Worthington Razorbacks played well enough on defense to win their first-ever Northern Football League game Sunday, it just wasn’t enough. Minnesota scored the first 21 points of the game — all in the first quarter — as the Maulers went on to take a 21-6 victory in the season opener for both teams. Ian Gardner scored the lone touchdown of the day for Worthington on a nine-yard pass from Kevin Blanchette. The play capped a 73-yard drive which opened the second half against the defending NFL champions. As captain Benjamin DeVries put it, though, picking up yards on offense wasn’t the big problem for the Razorbacks. “We marched up and down,” DeVries said. “We just couldn’t put it in the end zone.” DeVries was also proud of how his defense performed. The Razorbacks did not allow a point the rest of the way, keeping the Razorbacks within some striking distance. Worthington (0-1) hosts Lake Crystal May 9. Worthington 0 0 6 0 — 6 Minnesota 21 0 0 0 — 21 Razorbacks tally first win By Chris Vogtman Monday, May 10, 2004 In the Worthington Razorbacks’ first amateur football game at home, a solid offensive line lifted the team to a 30-20 triumph over visiting Lake Crystal Sunday. The Razorbacks overcame a 14-10 Lake Crystal lead at halftime with 14 unanswered points in the third quarter. Kevin Blanchette hooked up with Cody Anderson on a 35-yard strike to paydirt to regain the lead. Brandon Jurrens busted through for the successful two-point conversion. Blanchette and Anderson connected again later in the third quarter — this time a 40-yard score. The two-point conversion failed. “We had a great performance from our offensive line,” said Razorback captain Benjamin DeVries on linemen Brent Bassett, Quinton Anderson, Jason Winselman, Jason Fisher, Mike Hanton and DeVries. “The whole line stepped up on a hot and windy day.” Jeremy Ebbers added a 5-yard touchdown run off left tackle for the game-winning score in the fourth quarter. A bad Lake Crystal snap in the first quarter led to a Razorback safety. Jurrens tacked on an 8-yard touchdown run later in the quarter. Ebbers ran in the two-point conversion. Lake Crystal 0 14 0 6 — 20 Wgtn 10 0 14 6 — 30 Comeback falls short for Razorbacks By Nick Herman Monday, May 17, 2004 After tasting victory for the first time last week, the Worthington Razorbacks amateur football team was unable to match its success Sunday against the Esterville Raiders. Despite two second-half touchdowns by Brandon Jurrens, the Razorbacks dug themselves a 20-0 halftime hole and ultimately fell 40-18, dropping their record to 1-2. Esterville is now 2-0. Captain Benjamin DeVries noted the Razorbacks were able to stay in the game because the level of play rose sharply from the first half to the second. After falling down 20-0 at halftime, Worthington made its comeback. Jeremy Ebbers ran in from six yards out for the first touchdown, when Jurrens stepped up his game. Jurrens scored a 68-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter, then followed a Worthington fumble recovery with an 8-yard score to cut the lead to 20-18. It would be the closest the Razorbacks would get the rest of the game. The Raiders went on to score the game’s final 20 points, despite losing a total of two fumbles in the fourth. Worthington hosts Lake Benton Sunday. Esterville 20 0 0 20 — 40 Worthington 0 0 6 12 — 18 Razorbacks' Rienke runs over Blue Earth By Chris Vogtman Monday, June 07, 2004 The Worthington Razorbacks outscored the Blue Earth Bombers amateur football team 18-0 in the second half en route to a 26-6 victory Sunday afternoon. With 80 degree temperatures and only 14 players, the Razorbacks used the ground attack to upend the Bombers. After a fumble recovery in the second quarter, Matt Rienke took the ensuing handoff 42 yards to paydirt to take the first lead of the game. Jeremy Ebbers ran in the successful two-point conversion for an 8-0 advantage. The Bombers stuck back, though, tallying a touchdown to end first-half scoring. In the third quarter, Worthington quarterback Tyler Leopold ran the off-tackle option 72 yards to grab a comfortable lead. The conversion failed. The Razorbacks’ Mike Hatten had a 14-yard interception return to put the game effectively away. With time winding down in the contest, Rienke stumbled 18 yards for a score. Rienke finished the afternoon with 18 carries for 127 yards and two touchdowns. Leopold was 8-for-12 passing, going for 103 yards. Worthington’s Luke Olson lead the defensive effort, charting 10 solo tackles and grabbing seven assisted tackles. The Razorbacks (2-1, 2-3) play at 3 p.m. next Saturday against the Adrian Sharks in Ellsworth — part of the Dairy Days celebration. Razorbacks 0 8 6 12 — 26 Bombers 0 6 0 0 — 6 Razorbacks run past Bulldogs By Nick Herman Monday, June 21, 2004 Matt Rienke rushed 12 times for 113 yards and two touchdowns and a pair of two-point conversions as the Worthington Razorbacks defeated Dakota County 30-8 in the regular-season finale for both teams. Worthington (4-3) moves on to the Southern Division playoff June 27, when it hosts Lake Crystal. The Razorbacks’ rushing game accounted for 85 percent of their offense as Rienke, Brandon Jurrens, Tyler Liepold and Jeremy Ebbers accounted for 300 yards and a total of four touchdowns and four two-point plays. “We gave them a bunch of different looks,” head captain Benjamin DeVries said. “We dictated what they did on defense.” Jurrens helped pace the Razorbacks’ rushing game with nine carries and 79 yards of his own, scoring a touchdown and a two-point conversion. Dakota County dropped to 2-6 on the season. DC 0 8 0 0 — 8 Worthington 8 14 0 8 — 30 Razorbacks advance to semifinals By Steve Swayze Monday, June 28, 2004 The Worthington Razorbacks won their first-ever Northern Football League playoff game on Sunday, defeating the Lake Crystal Bulldogs 16-14. The Razorbacks survived a late charge to secure the win, the final play coming as Lance Mulder intercepted a pass inside Worthington’s 20-yard line to halt the drive. “I saw it once it was in the air and just went after it,” said Mulder, who had five tackles. A disputed pass interference call negated an interception thrown earlier in the drive at midfield with 57 seconds left. Worthington’s rush offense ruled the day, gaining 275 of the Razorbacks’ 309 total offensive yards on 43 attempts. Matt Reinke had touchdown runs of 6 and 52 yards while Tyler Leopold passed to Jason Fisher for the first 2-point conversion and fullback Jeremy Ebbers ran the second. Leopold was able to extend the team’s final drive to over seven minutes by running for a crucial first down on fourth-and-one. That drive failed to produce any points, but it pinned the Blaze back to their own 15-yard line late in the game, and trailing by two. “It was fun out there today, and it was a little closer than last time we played,” said Blaze defensive lineman Phil Gropel, a Luverne High School graduate. Worthington defeated Lake Crystal 30-20 seven weeks ago for its first win. Now the team has nearly two weeks to prepare for its semifinal game against the Buffalo Ridge Wildcats at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 10, at Lake Benton. Blaze 0 0 14 0 — 14 Razorbacks 0 8 8 0 — 16