NICOLLET — Mountain Lake Area’s defense proved to be too tough for Nicollet on Friday as the Wolverines handed Nicollet a 26-0 loss in a 9-man, South District football game Friday.

Senior quarterback Ethan Nickel threw for three touchdowns and rushed for another to lift the defending state 9-man champions (1-1).

“We had some opportunities, we had some drops,” head coach Tom Murphy said. “We had to play close to perfect, they’re good. I think our kids have to develop the belief that we can compete.”

MLA scored a pair of touchdowns in the first quarter and added another touchdown with one second left in the second quarter to take a 19-0 lead into halftime.

In the first quarter, the Wolverines got on the board on their first drive after Nickel found Kolby Kremmin for a 33-yard strike with 8:19 left. After Nicollet punted, the Wolverines marched downfield again and Nickel capped the drive with a 10-yard run to make it 13-0 with 3:22 left in the first.

Nicollet’s defense stepped up in the second quarter, but the Wolverines added to their lead just before the break when Nickel found junior receiver Tanner Koetzle in the back of the end zone from 15 yards out to make it 19-0.

“We changed things, we had to do something differently [defensively],” Murphy said. “We were kind of daring them to throw it, they had a few that they overthrew.”

In the third quarter, Koetzle scored his second touchdown of the game on a 55-yard scoring play for the final 26-0 margin.

The Raiders (1-1) are at Cedar Mountain on Friday and MLA hosts Heron Lake-Okabena/Fulda on Friday.

Worthington 27, New Ulm 8

WORTHINGTON — Worthington defeated New Ulm in a South Central District football game on Friday night.

Dylan Carreon had 19 carries for 86 yards and a fourth-quarter touchdown. Jaden Miller had six carries for 21 yards.

Defensively, Miller had nine tackles and Jaden Drill and Connor Slette each had five tackles. Caleb Arndt had four tackles and he also scored on the two-point conversion.

New Ulm (0-2) hosts St. Peter on Friday.

Springfield 22, Adrian 0

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield picked up its first win of the year with a convincing win over Adrian on Friday night.

Kadin Johnson rushed for 157 yards and Brandon Buerkle had 173 yards passing and three touchdowns. Jordan Toll had 67 yards receiving and two touchdowns and Tori Helget had 43 yards receiving and one touchdown.

Defensively, Caleb Hauger had 10 tackles while Isaak Lothert, Mason Leonard and Jason Berberich each had seven tackles. MaCoy Krick had an interception and Johnson and Adam Veercamp each had six tackles.

Late Thursday

CM 40, BLHS 14

HECTOR — Cedar Mountain’s Cade Schiller threw for 209 yards and three touchdowns as Cedar Mountain crushed Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart in 9-man football action on Thursday.

Caden Kleinschmidt had 72 yards rushing and two touchdowns and he had six receptions for 102 yards. Nick Freitag had seven receptions for 85 yards and three touchdowns.

Prep volleyball

Nicollet 3, LCWM 2

NICOLLET — Nicollet defeated Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial 20-25, 26-24, 25-20, 15-25, 15-12 in Valley Conference volleyball on Thursday.

Hayle Selby had 22 digs and nine kills and Emily Lorentz had 12 set assists for the Raiders.