It was a back-and-forth battle during a northeast Nebraska showdown during week two of the NSAA football schedule.
From Laurel, Laurel-Concord-Coleridge entertained Pender on Friday featuring a pair of Class D1 eight-man programs.
Pender held on late for the 49-42 victory to improve to 1-1 as the Bears fell to 0-2.
Pender opened scoring from Owen Kneifl on a 65-yard run followed by Eli Haisch from LCC on a 63-yard rushing touchdown. With the LCC PAT failed, the score favored Pender, 7-6.
The Pendragons scored two more times in the first quarter from Kneifl (24 yards and 50 yards) on the ground to lead 20-6.
Pender scored a third straight time thanks to an Alex Roth one-yard run to lead at-most 27-6.
LCC then started their comeback with three scores. Gibson Roberts first ran in on a 16-yard score (two-point conversion pass from Roberts to Kolten Settje), Roberts then connected with Drey Puppe (two point conversion failed) before Roberts scored once more on a one-yard run (two-point conversion by Roberts).
LCC took a 28-27 lead into the half.
Neither team scored in the third quarter before the back-and-forth fourth began.
Pender regained the lead at 34-28 thanks to an eight yard pass from Roth to Reece Heineman (eight-yards). LCC then scored twice to go up 42-34 thanks to a 65-yard kickoff return from Connor Korth (PAT attempt failed) and a two-yard run from Roberts (two-point conversion successful from Roberts to Settje).
Pender would score twice to end the game from a 12-yard run by Trevor Trimble (two-point conversion successful) to first tie the game at 42-42 before ending with a 47-yard run by Owen Kneifl (PAT good).
Final favored Pender winning 49-42.
LCC finished with 310 yards (186 passing/124 rushing).
Roberts was 11-28 for 186 yards with one passing touchdown and one interception. He also added 13 rushes for 59 yards and three scores.
Haisch led the Bears in rushing with 64 yards on nine carries and one score. Drey Puppe finished with six catches for 140 yards and one score.
LCC was led defensively by Connor Korth with 16 tackles (11 solo) and three tackles for loss followed by Haisch (three solo) and Ryder Jelinek (two tackles for loss) with seven each. Roberts had an interception as Jelinek added a fumble recovery.
The Laurel-Concord-Coleridge football team will next host Tri County Northeast (Allen/Emerson-Hubbard) on Friday, Sept. 13.
