Staff photo by Ari Selvey Sleepy Eye United’s Merrick Mathiowetz runs the ball during a Mid-South District, Purple Subdistrict football game against Russell-Tyler-Ruthton Friday at St. Mary’s High School.

SLEEPY EYE — While Sleepy Eye United played Russell-Tyler-Ruthton even in the second half, it couldn’t overcome a 14-0 halftime deficit as it fell 20-6 to the Knights in a Mid-South District, Purple Subdistrict football game on Friday at St. Mary’s High School.

RTR out-gained SEU 99-49 on the ground as United struggled to get the run game going.

“RTR came to play in the trenches and they beat us in the trenches,” SEU head coach Brent Kucera said. “Our focus wasn’t there or something, but they beat us in the trenches, a simple part of the game and they beat us.”

Gavin Fischer led the rushing attack with 65 yards, while Carson Uecker had 71 yards receiving and a touchdown. Brayden Heiderscheidt had 108 yards passing and a touchdown.

Nick Tauer led the defense with seven tackles, while Jack Windschitl and Keeyan Netzke shared a sack. Uecker added an interception.

SEU went three-and-out on its first drive, but Uecker got the ball back with an interception at the 6-yard line. However, United were unable to gain a first down, resulting in another punt. This time, RTR’s Tyson Burns ran it in from seven yards out for a 6-0 lead. While Fischer broke out for a 31-yard run, SEU turned it over on downs, and the Knights put together a 11-play drive that ended in a 27-yard touchdown pass from Gavin Schreurs to Colten Thomsen to give RTR a 14-0 lead. Another SEU three-and-out gave RTR the ball back with 2:28 left in the half, but the SEU defense was able to hold until halftime.

While the SEU offense continued to struggle, the defense stepped up to force five straight RTR possessions without a first down coming out of half.

“Defense, for the most part, played tough,” Kucera said. “The offense didn’t give them any help. We gave them short fields all game. Offensively, if we pick it up — we have to help our defense out some.”

Heiderscheidt had his first big completion of the game in the fourth quarter as he connected with Gavin Fischer for 18 yards, but a sack set SEU back and they turned it over on downs. Finally, on the next series, a heave from Heiderscheidt was tipped up and landed in the hands of Uecker, who ran the remaining 20 yards for a 48-yard score to cut the lead to 14-6.

Any hopes of a comeback were cut short on the next RTR drive, as a 38-yard connection from Schreurs to Thomson set up a 15-yard touchdown rush from Burns to seal the 20-6 victory.

SEU (1-1, 1-1) travels to Murray County Central on Friday.