New Hampton rallies by Hampton-Dumont

HAMPTON - Needing a kick-start, New Hampton’s football team took Friday’s second-half kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown to take the lead for good against Hampton-Dumont, spoiling Class 2A, District 3 opening play for the Bulldogs, 26-12.

It also foiled a great start for H-D, which held a 12-0 lead after the first quarter against the Chickasaws.

Coach Jerry Shafrath’s squad took the opening drive 72 yards in 15 plays that ate up more than 10 minutes to take a 6-0 lead on a three-yard TD run by Isaiah Noelck.

And, after forcing New Hampton to go 3-and-out, used its next possession to seemingly shock the Chickasaws when Cole Miller hit Parker Claypool for a 34-yard catch-and-run for a score.

But H-D missed its first extra point attempt and failed on the two-point conversion on its second score and the Bulldogs were unable to find the end zone again.