LANCASTER — Fennimore’s big play capability was full display in Friday’s 56–26 non-conference victory at Richland Center.

Senior wide receiver Trevor Neuroth caught three touchdown passes and ran for a fourth. He hauled in four passes for 130 yards, including a pair of 40-yard TDs.

Junior quarterback Reid Larson completed 13 of 22 passes for 264 yards and four TDs. Fennimore also got the running game going this week, piling up 190 yards rushing on 39 carries.

Junior Zach Davis finished with 116 yards and two TDs on 23 carries, and sophomore Aiden Nutter added 45 yards on eight carries.

“We had two major goals going into this game,” said Fennimore head coach Boone Tollefson. “Number one, we wanted to run the ball better and we did that. Zach Davis ran the ball hard. The offensive line had a good game and Aiden Nutter also ran wall.

“We also wanted to get better on special teams. We had a punt return called back on a questionable call, but overall we are going in the right direction on special teams.”

Davis capped Fennimore’s first scoring drive 7-yard touchdown run less than four minutes into the game. Sophomore Derek Turben added the first of his six extra points to make it 7–0.

Six minutes later Neuroth hauled in his first touchdown of the game on a 6-yard pass from Larson.

Richland Center answered with its best drive of the night, pulling within 14–6 on a 1-yard run by Rory Schultz with 35 seconds left in the opening quarter.

Larson and the Fennimore passing game dominated the second quarter.

The slender gunslinger tossed a 40 yard strike to Neuroth seven seconds into the second quarter, then connected on a 15-yard pitch and catch to senior Liam Kenney six minutes later. He added the two-point conversion pass to junior Maguire Fitzgerald.

Neuroth scored from seven yards out with 1:24 left in the half to make it 35–6.

The Hornets (0–2) put together a scoring drive of their own in the final minute of the half, as Schultz connected with Keon Miller from 34 yards out with nine seconds left in the half to make it 34–14.

Larson added a 42-yard bomb to Neuroth early in the second half and a 1-yard TD run with 2:36 left in the game to make it 56–20.

Davis also scored on a 7-yard run early in the fourth quarter.

“Keeping our offensive tempo was the key to Friday’s game,” added Tollefson. “Pushing the ball down field opened up the middle of to run the ball. Our big play ability put us in good positions. We through an interception early, but we stay aggressive and were also able to hold on the ball. That was another key.”

Junior linebacker Derek Kephart led the defense with 14 tackles, one sack and an interception. Nutter and senior Lazer Frey each made seven stops.

Fennimore held Richland Center to 52 yards rushing on 29 carries, but will face a much stiffer challenge Friday night when fellow unbeaten Iowa–Grant (2–0) comes to town to open Southwestern Wisconsin Activities League play.

I–G senior Brady Peat has rushed for 470 yards and 10 touchdowns in two Panthers victories over Richland Center (38–14 in Week 1) and Wauzeka–Steuben/Seneca (44–18 this past Friday).

“When know it comes down to stopping the run,” said Tollefson of this week’s key SWAL showdown. “We have been doing that so far this season, but Iowa–Grant is going to be the best running team we will face all year. It’s all going to be decided at the line of scrimmage. Offensively, we have to run mix it up, be efficient and hold on to the ball. We also need to play solid on special teams.”

Fennimore 56, Richland Center 26

(from Friday, Aug. 25 @ Richland Center)

Fennimore 14 21 7 14 —  56

Richland Center 6 8 0 12 — 26

First quarter

F: Zach Davis 7 run (Derek Turben kick)

F: Trevor Neuroth 6 pass from Reid Larson (Turben kick)

RC: Rory Schultz 1 run (kick failed)

Second quarter

F: Neuroth 40 pass from Larson (kick failed)

F: Liam Kenney 15 pass from Larson (Maguire Fitzgerald pass from Larson)

F: Neuroth 7 run (Turben kick)

RC: Keon Miller 34 pass from Schultz (Miller pass from Schultz)

Third quarter

F: Neuroth 42 pass from Larson (Turben kick) 

Fourth quarter

RC: Miller 32 pass from Schultz (run failed)

F: Davis 7 run (Turben kick)

F: Larson 1 run (Turben kick)

RC: Miller 34 pass from Warrick Wolf (no pat) 

Team Statistics

First downs — F 17, RC 14. Rushing — F 39-190, RC: 29-52. Passing (comp-att-int, yds) — F 13-22-1, 264, RC 17-38-1, 280. Fumbles–lost — F 0-0, RC 2-1. Penalties-yards — F 10-108, RC 5-32. 

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Rushing — F: Zach Davis 23-116. RC: Ryan Peterson 15-36. Passing — F: Reid Larson 13-22-1, 264. RC: Rory Schultz 15-36-1, 218. Receiving — F: Trevor Neuroth 4-130, Liam Kenney 3-66. RC: Keon Miller 9-144, Quin Tydrich 5-119.