2 hours Ago By Tom Elliott
HUTCHINSON — The Willmar football team rallied from 21 points down to tie it. But, the Hutchinson Tigers scored late in the fourth quarter to win the Skyway Green District game Friday night, 28-21. Nathan Thode ran for his second touchdown of the game, an 8-yarder.
Maddox Schumacher’s point-after kick gave Hutchinson a 28-21 lead that held, handing Willmar its sixth straight loss in 2024. Hutchinson built a 21-0 lead in the first half, getting a Graydon Rostberg 9-yard touchdown pass to Brady Larson to open the scoring. Larson then intercepted a pass on defense and returned it 40 yards for a touchdown to put the Tigers up 14-0.
Hutchinson then got a 1-yard touchdown run from Thode. Then, Willmar went to work. The Cardinals got on the board with 1:12 to play in the first half.
Conlan Carlson scored from 1 yard out to cut the Cardinals’ deficit to 21-7 after Gibson Horyza’s extra-point kick. Jordan Ellingson then scored on a 4-yard quarterback keeper to close the gap to 21-14. Carlson then scored his second touchdown of the game with 2:28 to go in the third quarter on a 40-yard run.
Horyza’s kick enabled Willmar to tie it up at 21-21. Thode then scored the go-ahead TD and finished with 89 yards on 22 carries. He also caught one pass for 19 yards.
Carlson led all rushers in the game with 102 yards gained on 19 carries. Willmar had 182 yards rushing on 36 carries. Hutchinson gained 117 yards rushing on 37 carries, though the Tigers had 146 yards passing to Willmar’s 46.
Rene Vallejo led Willmar defensively with three solo and six assisted tackles. Lawson Anez had three solo and four assisted tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery. The Cardinals go back on the road at 7 p.
m. next Friday to play Chisago Lakes in Lindstrom. Hutchinson 28, Willmar 21.
