Five overtimes later Prescott defeats Ellsworth 22-14

• Ellsworth vs. Prescott

Prescott's Sam Smith tries to gain extra yardage while Ellsworth's Alex Campbell.

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A 14-14 stalemate in overtime between the Ellsworth and Prescott prep football teams was broken by Prescott fullback Tate Nahorniak as his three-yard touchdown run plus a two-point conversion pass from quarterback Alex Helmer to Mike Hovel led to a 22-14 win by the Cardinals in the fifth overtime period.

A stiff win across the field kept the teams from being able to move the ball much in the four previous overtime periods. Prescott, led by their big linemen Nick Jacobsen and Nick Brekken, was able to wear down the smaller Panther line enough to mount a scoring drive largely through runs up the middle.

An interception ended Ellsworth's final drive of the ballgame. The Panthers' cause was also not helped by injuries to four starters and several other players out with injury and illness.

Prescott trailed 6-0 for much of the first half but scored with 1:18 remaining in the second quarter. Hovel caught a diving pass from quarterback Alex Helmer in the endzone and with Owen Schommer's kick Prescott led 7-6 at halftime.

The Cardinals went ahead 14-6 in the third quarter off a one-hard TD run by Helmer. Prescott ran the ball 77 times for 263 yards. Sam Smith led PHS with 86 yards on 13 carries, Cutler had 82 yards and Nahorniak 74.

Junior Kyle Kurrelmeyer started at quarterback for the Panthers. He was 14-for-31 for 116 yards. He threw touchdown passes of 12 yards to Alex Campbell and 41 yards to Dennis Schutz on a screen pass. However, the Panthers were held to just 64 yards rushing on 39 carries and missed on back-to-back short yardage plays in the fourth overtime when they had the ball just needing a score to win.

Campbell led Ellsworth with four catches for 77 yards and Schutz had four catches for 80 yards.

Ellsworth is eliminated from playoff contentions with the loss as they drop to 2-4 in the Middle Border Conference and 2-5 overall. The Panthers play at No. 6 ranked Durand next Friday in Durand, who clinched a share of the Middle Border Conference title with a 15-13 win over Somerset.

Prescott meanwhile is 3-3 in the league and 4-3 overall. If the Cardinals beat Amery next Friday they will clinch the program's first playoff birth since 2005.

Tags: prep football, sports, prep, ellsworth, prescott