Mills got on the board with 2:01 to go in the first half as Logan Small hauled in a 21 yard pass from Bren Salo, giving the Eagles a 6-0 lead at halftime.

A Marcus Sigman 7-yard touchdown run with 6:34 to play in the third quarter tied the game at 6-6.  Tanner Arndt broke a 75-yard run that put OTC in front with 4:23 to play in the third.  A two-point conversion pass from Blake Wallevand to Blaine Wallevand made the score 14-6.  Salo punched the ball in from the two-yard line with just four seconds remaining in the third quarter to cut the OTC lead to 14-12.

In the fourth quarter, Hayden Hart scored on a 6-yard run, increasing the Bulldogs lead to 20-12.  New York Mills got to the OTC 10 yard line with less than a minute to play, but a Brady VanErp interception in the end zone sealed the win for the Bulldogs.

“This was a great high school football game as both teams played very well,” commented New York Mills Head Coach Matt Radniecki.  “I was really happy with the team effort that we had tonight and also with how hard our kids played.  OTC is a very good program with a great tradition and we played with them right until the end.  Our defense did a great job in the first half and continued to play well in the second half.  OTC came out and smashed it down our throats in the third quarter but we responded and came back with our own touchdown drive.  The kids had a chance and this was a game with a break here or there that we could have won.  Bren Salo and the offensive line did a nice job today of keeping plays alive and we made some nice scramble plays running and passing.  Coach Eric Olson at OTC does a nice job and in the second half they came out ready to play and you have to give them credit for some nice adjustments here and there.  I was very proud of our team and hopefully we can get over the hump with a win against Underwood.” 

The Eagles beat Wadena-Deer Creek 20-0 in a JV contest earlier in the week.  “Great game by our kids to improve to 4-0 on the season,” said Radniecki.  “Eathan Ruther did a nice job of running the option and our line played very well.  The defense posted another shutout.”