USC’s Wyatt Haugh (52) tries to deflect the pass of NRHEG quarterback Brooks Gilliland (4).

The United South Central Rebels football team defeated the New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva Panthers last Tuesday night, Oct. 21, in a real back-and-forth battle.

The Rebels ended up winning 28-21, and now advanced to a game on Saturday, Oct. 25, in Harmony, when the No. 4-seeded Rebels take on the No. 1-seeded Fillmore Central Falcons.

Fillmore Central is ranked third in state with an 8-0 record and had a first round bye in Section 1A playoff action.

Details on that game will be in the next edition of the Faribault County Register.

USC’s record is 5-4 after their win over NRHEG.

The Panthers scored first in that game, which was played at USC in Wells. NRHEG recovered a USC fumble on the first play of the game and went 40 yards in seven plays and scored on a nine-yard run.

The kick for extra point was good and the Panthers led 7-0 early in the game.

The Rebels responded with a 12-play, 60-yard drive that culminated in a one-yard touchdown run by Kolt Bullerman. A two-point conversion was successful on a run by Noah Gonzales and USC was now ahead 8-7, which was the score at the end of the first quarter.

Early in the second quarter the Panthers fumbled the ball and it was recovered by Brody Steinhauer at the 15-yard line.

It only took one play for the Rebels to score as Shaune Peterson ran it in for the touchdown. Brayden Mithun ran the ball in for the two-point conversion and the Rebels were up 16-7.

The Panthers responded with a nine-play, 52-yard touchdown of their own. Their pass for a two-point conversion was successful and the Rebels’ lead was down to one, at 16-15.

It was NRHEG who got the next TD, as well, still in the second quarter. This time it was on a 42-yard, 11-play drive that ended with a seven-yard pass play for a touchdown. The extra point try pass failed.

But with 14 seconds left in the half, NRHEG was ahead 21-16.

USC would score one TD in the third quarter and one in the fourth quarter to get the win.

In the third quarter they scored on a 20-yard run by Peterson that was just the third play after the Rebels took over on downs.

The try for extra points failed and the score was now 22-21 in favor of USC.

In the fourth quarter the Rebels would get an insurance touchdown and go up 28-21.

It came after a 12-play, 60-yard drive that ended with a six-yard run by Bullerman. A pass attempt for the two-point conversion failed, making the final score 28-21.

Stats-wise, the game was pretty even. The Rebels had 197 yards of offense to the Panthers’ 189. USC gained all 197 yards on the ground and none through the air. NRHEG 142 yards rushing and 47 passing.

The Panthers ran 50 plays and the Rebels ran 42. Both teams lost two fumbles.

Peterson was the leading rusher for the Rebels, gaining 102 yards on 17 carries. Gonzalez ran for 65 yards on 11 rushes, and Bullerman gained 21 yards on seven totes. Steinhauer had four yards on one attempt.

On defense, Brennan Olson led the team with eight solo tackles. Gonzalez had seven combined solo and assist tackles, and Bullerman and Steinhauer each had five.