Senior running back Gabe Leonard (23) runs with the ball for a first down Saturday against New Salem/Glen Ullin. Ashton Gerard/MDN

NEW SALEM — After a long, tiresome battle to get to the quarterfinals of the nine-man state playoffs, North Prairie (Region 4, 1-seed) was stopped by New Salem/Glen Ullin (Region 5, 1-seed) with a final score of 38-18.

The North Prairie Cougars started off strong in the first quarter, picking up a fumble from New Salem that ultimately led to their first touchdown. The touchdown was scored by Austin Soukup. The team, however, was unable to make the two-point conversion, leaving the score 6-0.

New Salem quickly retaliated with a touchdown of their own, though the Cougars were able to stop the conversion attempt, bringing the score to 6-6.

“That big turnover gave us a spark,” said Patrick Wilkes, head coach for the North Prairie Cougars. The Cougars hoped to take this momentum into the second quarter.

On their first possession in the second quarter, the Cougars weren’t able to turn it into a touchdown, instead turning the ball over after Soukup, the Cougars’ senior quarterback, attempted to run for the remaining yards.

New Salem returned the turnover for a touchdown and the Cougars weren’t able to stop the conversion, putting the score at 14-6.

Frustrated, the Cougars attempted to retaliate with good ball movement. Xavier Mitchell, a freshman running back, had a great catch from Soukup, to earn the first down. A run by Gabe Leonard, a senior running back, put the Cougars in great scoring position. Despite this great effort, the boys were unable to score and resulted in a turnover at the 5-yard line.

With 1:24 left in the second quarter, New Salem came back to score, finishing the half 22-6.

“Turnovers and things like that are always deflating,” Wilkes said. “The kids bounced back and they kept playing hard. As the field shrinks it’s harder and harder to get yards.”

Coming out of halftime, New Salem started with the ball. The defense woke up and was able to hold off New Salem from scoring. On 4th-and-six with 6:55 left in the third quarter, New Salem attempted to run for the first down, but the Cougars were able to stop them, or so everyone thought.

As the play came to a close, flags flew from two of the officials, causing a barrage of boos from the Cougars’ side of the field as they called defensive holding and an automatic first down for New Salem.

Defeated, the Cougars lined up once more to defend New Salem at the 10-yard line. The New Salem quarterback attempted to pass but the ball was intercepted by Leonard and carried to midfield.

Riding this high, junior running back Grant Munro was able to carry the ball to the 15-yard line and put the Cougars in a good place to score.

Munro was then able to carry the ball for the touchdown at 4:10 left in the quarter. At first it seemed the Cougars were able to pull out the conversion with a run by Soukup, but the officials ruled that the defense was not set and the conversion had to be tried again. The Cougars failed with a blocked pass from Soukup intended for Munro. The score was then 22-12.

After New Salem returned the ball, the Cougars held them well until a member of the defense tripped to allow a 65-yard touchdown for New Salem. New Salem finished with a two-point conversion, putting the score at 30-12.

Once the Cougars got the ball in scoring range, New Salem intercepted the ball at 36 seconds to end the third quarter.

New Salem was stopped by North Prairie’s defense with a turnover at 9:08 in the fourth.

North Prairie was held up at fourth and 12, and in an attempt to pass, the ball was picked by New Salem and they went off to score the touchdown, putting New Salem up 38-12.

In a last ditch effort, Leonard was able to score the final touchdown of the game, though the Cougars couldn’t pull out the conversion, leaving the final score at 38-18.

“New Salem has a really good football team, they’re well coached and they just don’t make mistakes,” Wilkes said.

Wilkes is impressed with his team’s effort over this past season and pushing through the nay-sayers. He pointed out Soukup has had a great season, along with running backs Leonard, Munro, and Mitchell. Wilkes feels that all the kids have had a really great season and that he’s proud of the effort they’ve put forth.

After the loss, the North Prairie football season came to a close.

New Salem/Glen Ullin goes on to play Shiloh Christian at 2 p.m. Saturday in the nine-man Semifinals.