REGIONAL — North Woods struck first last Thursday at South Ridge, but the Panthers seized control after the opening quarter and beat the Grizzlies 34-12.
The Grizzlies landed early punches on a 40-yard burst by Jett Lambert and a one-yard plunge from James Yernatich for a 12-7 lead. South Ridge answered to go up 14-12 after one.
They also added a second-quarter score to make it 21-12 at the half, then closed it out with a fourth-quarter touchdown and a late interception return for a score.
Known for pounding the ground, North Woods actually moved it better through the air.
Lambert went 6-for-9 for 166 yards, and Cedar Holman finished 2-for-8 for 20 yards. Receiver John Warren turned five grabs into 162 yards, but the Grizzlies couldn’t finish drives.
On the ground, Lambert ran seven times for 44 yards and a touchdown, Carson Johnson logged 13 carries for 41 yards, and Yernatich added seven carries for three yards and a score.
Holman chipped in three carries for 13 yards.
Defensively, Warren posted five solo tackles. Yernatich and Johnson each had four solos with five assists, and Holman made an interception.
Head coach Joel Anderson pointed to turnovers as the decisive factor. The Grizzlies coughed it up six times, stalling promising drives and handing South Ridge extra chances.
“We probably should have scored on at least three of our first four drives, but when you keep giving the ball away, you don’t give yourself much of a chance,” Anderson said. “Most high school games are lost, not won, and right now we’re finding ways to lose. If we take care of the ball, we give ourselves a much better shot.”
North Woods fell to 2-3 on the season. They were scheduled to play a homecoming contest against Blackduck on Thursday.