Barbara Lawlor, Gilpin County. It was the game of the season: the Nederland Panthers versus the Gilpin County Eagles. Two mountain teams vying for bragging rights, both of them working hard to find a winning season. Only one team would earn the W, and last Saturday, September 27th, it was  Gilpin's game by four points, 30-26.

It was a hard loss for the Ned boys, but it was a great game to the last second. A great effort on the part of both teams. Panther quarterback Mike Wood threw for 164 yards and Noah Ridnell rushed for 180. Nederland's mission was to shut down Eagle sophomore Matthew Immordino who is able to scramble through anything. Immordino had 205 rushing yards with two touchdowns and two PATs

Neither team was able to move forward in the first quarter until the Eagles’ Matthew Immordino began gaining ground, first down by first down, to the Panther eight-yard line and then into the end zone for a touchdown. Spinning out of the Panthers’ grasp, Immordino carried the ball in for two and the score was 8-0.

The second quarter began with a completed pass from Panthers’ Wood to Jack Abendroth, putting Ned on the Eagle 12-yard line. Ridnell charged forward through the Gilpin defense, stretching his arm into the end zone for a Nederland touchdown. The Panthers did not make the two-point conversion and  the score was 8-6.

Gilpin receiver Jon Lovett pulled in the Ned kickoff and evaded the Panther tackles, running the ball downfield all the way into the end zone, but the play was called back for a holding penalty.

Immordino once again moved the ball in a series of first downs. Bjorn Tomlinson and Chase Boulter fought for yards and the Eagles moved into a first and goal position.

At this point Nederland was charged with targeting the head in a tackle and tempers flared. When the situation settled, Gilpin scored the TD and the extra points and the score was 16-6.

The Panthers on a third and 10 went into action. A pass from Mike Wood to Noah Ridnell to Jack Abendroth surprised the Eagle defense and Ned gained six points with a touchdown, but the Panthers were stopped from the two-point conversion and it was a four-point game, 16-12.

The Eagles were forced to punt in the next series. Panther  Quin Kuechenmeister picked up the kick and ran the ball to the 50-yard line. Wood squirmed through the Gilpin line pushing to the Eagle 13-yard line. With 28 seconds to halftime, Ike Thibedeau scored on a tight end screen, Ridnell succeeded with the two-point conversion and Nederland charged into the lead 16-20.

With 14 seconds on the clock, Gilpin's Lovett pulled in a pass from Boulter and ran in for the touchdown. Bjorn Tomlinson walked into the end zone for two points and Eagles grabbed back the lead, 24-20. The half ended with the Eagles leading by four points.

The Panthers returned to the field ready to reclaim the game. Ridnell geared up, carrying the ball into Eagle territory, to a fourth down stand on the Gilpin 13-yard line, where they gave up possession to the Eagles. Nederland defense held Gilpin to the Panther 18 and the Eagles were forced to punt, putting Ned on the Eagle 18.

It looked like the Panthers were making their move until Jon Lovett intercepted a pass by Wood. The Eagles were on the move.  But the Panthers were on the defense. They gained possession of the ball, and a completed pass to Quin Kuechenmeister ended up with him running the ball for a 94-yard touchdown. The TD gave Ned a 24-26 lead, but there were no extra points.

The fourth quarter began and it was anybody's game. Panther quarterback Mike Wood  was injured as the Eagles began a relentless march to the Panther goal. Immordino ran the ball in at the five-yard line. The score was 30-26.

Nederland fought hard to reach the end zone but time ran out and the Eagles celebrated.

Eagle coach Dave Ball said, "This was a really great game to be part of. The rivalry of these two schools has been around for many years and it was nice to see such a great venue for this event. Our boys have been working to be better conditioned each week, and I think that really helped us towards the end of the game. We held Nederland scoreless in the fourth quarter and we were able to mount an 11-play 65-yard scoring drive. That really became the difference in the game."

The Eagles now have a 4-2 record and Nederland has a 2-3 record.

Gilpin Player Stats:

Passing: Chase Boulter, 3 of 7 for 79 yards.

Rushing: Boulder, 10 carries for 40 yards; Matthew Immordino, 46 carries for 205 yards and two touchdowns; Bjorn Tomlinson, 9 carries for 60 yards and 1 touchdown.

Receiving: Dalton Dziedzic, 1 for 5 yards; Jonny Lovett, 1 for 65 yards; and Bjorn Tomlinson, 1 for 9 yards.

Tackles: Dziedzic, 11 tackles, 11 assists; Boulter, 3 tackles and 1 assist; Eryk Lorenz, 5 tackles, 1 assist; Immordino, 4 tackles, 6 assists; Manny Gomez, 3 tackles, 6 assists; Gerardo Correa, 8 tackles, 4 assists; Jonny Lovett, 8 tackles, 1 assist; Tomlinson, 2 tackles, 8 assists; Sam Ghaffare, 8 assists.

Nederland Player Stats:

Passing: Mike Wood, 9 of 19 for 164 yards

Kellen Sequeria: 2 of 4 for 24 yards

Rushing: Mike Wood, 5 for 54 yards; Kellen Sequeria, 4 for 20 yards; Noah Ridnell, 20 for 180; Jaron Dillon, 3 for 24; Quinn Kuechenmeister, 2 for 3

Receiving: Jack Abendroth, 4 for 23; Ike Thibedeau, 2 for 25; Quin Kuechenmeister, 5 for 140

Kick return: Trig Campbell, 2 for 30; Kellen Sequeria,1 for 5; Miles Pancoast, 1 for 25

Punt Return: Quin Kuechenmeister, 30

Tackles: Wood, 11 solo, 2 assists; Campbell, 3 solos; Kellen Sequeria, 1 solo; Ike Thibedeau, 10 solos, 1 assist; Noah Ridnell, 14 solos, 3 assists; Jarron Dillon, 7 solos, 3 assists; Connor Demo, 10 solos, 2 assists; Ben Jurisich, 10 solos, 2 assists; Miles Pancoast, 4 solos, 2 assists, Quin Kuechenmeister, 3 solos

Sacks: Miles Pancoast, 1 for 4 yards

Kickoffs: Michael Wood, 3 kicks for 115 yards; Miles Pancoast, 2 kicks for 72 yards

Punts: Wood, 1 for 45 yards

Gilpin will play Vail Christian in Eagle Valley this Friday night and will host Justice on Saturday, October 18, for their Homecoming.