FARGO, ND (KKWS) – The Parkers Prairie Football team powered past West Central Area, scoring 28 unanswered points to secure a 42-12 victory in the Section 6A Championship game on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, at the Fargodome in Fargo, North Dakota. The win not only claimed the title for the Panthers but also earned them a spot in the MSHSL Class A State Tournament for the second consecutive year.

The game started as a close battle, with Parkers Prairie holding a narrow 14-12 lead with just over 11 minutes left in the second quarter. The Panthers soon pulled away, led by junior Isaac Ruckheim, who sparked the momentum with a 30-yard touchdown run, extending their lead to 21-12. Ruckheim continued his stellar performance in the second half, scoring again on a 30-yard run that widened the gap to 28-12.

Parkers Prairie’s offensive line delivered consistently, helping set up additional scores by Boesl, who found the end zone on runs of 35 and 11 yards, and quarterback Chavous Wendt, who scored on a 1-yard run in the second quarter.

West Central Area, led by Head Coach Nate Wood, scored twice on the ground with Sam Hanson’s 33-yard run and a 2-yard score from Hunter Gruchow. The Knights finish their season with an 8-3 record.

The Panthers (8-3) now turn their focus to the state tournament, making their third appearance in school history.

The rest of the Class A Tournament field includes Goodhue, Lester Prairie, Springfield, Upsala-Swanville Area, Minneota, Deer River and Mahnomen-Waubun. The Panthers will either open up the tournament at Rock Ridge High School on Thursday, November 7th at 6:00, or at Becker High School on Friday, November 8th at 7:00. Seeding will be released later this weekend.