LIVINGSTON - Senior fullback/linebacker Logan Bollant rushed for 138 yards and three touchdowns and once again led a spirited Iowa-Grant defense as the Panthers improved to 2-0 this past Friday night with a 26-13 non-conference victory over visiting Richland Center.
Senior quarterback Blake Welu put the host Panthers on the board first with a 7-yard touchdown run early in the first quarter. Cody Rider’s PAT made it 7-0 four minutes into the game
But Welu and I-G gave the score right back on their next possession when senior Evan Ewing intercepted a Welu pass and returned it 20 yards for a game-tying touchdown.
Coach Gary Allen’s Panthers responded by turning to the ground game and scoring on a pair of second quarter drives, both on short runs by Bollant.
Bollant crashed in from five yards out on the first play of the second quarter, then scored on a 3-yard run with 2:19 left in the period to make it 19-7.
When Welu left the game early in the third quarter with an injury I-G kept the ball on the ground.
Bollant broke free for a 35-yard in the final minute of the third quarter to make it 26-7.
Richland Center (0-2) scored its lone offensive touchdown on a 13-yard run by quarterback Todd Wienkes with just 3:40 left in the game.
Bollant finished the game with 138 yards on 19 carries. The I-G offense totaled 211 yards on the ground on 49 carries.
“Our O-line played better this week than last,” said I-G head coach Gary Allen. “Logan runs hard and he is the beneficiary of our O-line’s improvement.”
Welu completed 5-of-9 passes for 69 yards before the injury forced him out of the game in the third quarter. Senior wide out Brandon Pierick caught three passes for 49 yards.
Meanwhile the visiting Hornets managed just 171 yards rushing on 34 carries, many of those yards coming in the final quarter, and 40 yards passing. Center’s offense also made just seven first downs in the contest.
“We just need to keep making improvements each week regardless of our record or our opponent,” added Allen.
Iowa-Grant will open Southwestern Wisconsin Activities League play this Friday with a home game against Boscobel (0-2). The Bulldogs have been outscored 24-67 so far this season.
Iowa-Grant 26, Richland Center 13
(from Friday, Aug. 26 @ Iowa-Grant)
Richland Center 7 0 0 6 - 13
Iowa-Grant 7 12 7 0 - 26
IG - Blake Welu 7 run (Cody Rider kick)
RC - Ewing 20 interception return (Cook kick)
IG - Logan Bollant 5 run (kick failed)
IG - Bollant 3 run (kick failed)
IG - Bollant 35 run (Rider kick)
RC - Wienkes 13 run (kick failed)
Team statistics: First downs - RC 7, IG 16. Rushing - RC 34-171, IG 49-211. Passing yards - RC 40, IG 69. Passing - RC 3-14-1, IG 5-13-1. Fumbles-lost - RC 1, IG 1. Penalties - RC 6-40, IG 4-30.
Individual leaders: Rushing - RC: Wienkes 18-54; IG: Logan Bollant 19-138. Passing - RC: Wienkes 3-14-1, 40; IG: Blake Welu 5-9-1, 69. Receiving - RC: Rider 1-30; IG: Brandon Pierick 3-49.
