SLEEPY EYE — Murray County Central scored 20 points in the first half as the Rebels defeated Sleepy Eye 41-0 on Friday in a Southwest District football game.

Sleepy Eye head coach Joe Hoffmann said that his team had trouble handling the football in the wet conditions. Both teams had to deal with rainfall in the first half. He said MCC adapted and it was able to do a good job with the football.

MCC kept the pressure on in the second half and scored on an 83-yard touchdown run by Carter Benda on the kickoff for the second half. Benda ran the ball in for the extra 2-points, making it 28-0.

MCC scored again in the third quarter when Abram Paulzine handed the ball off to Benda who ran it in 6-yards. Christian Tentinger tried to run the ball in for the extra 2-points, but the Sleepy Eye defense stopped him.

Sleepy Eye fumbled the football late in the third quarter. MCC’s Dawson Blankenship recovered the ball. The Rebels then cashed in when Paulzine tossed a 35-yard touchdown pass to Benda. Mason Wendland’s kick for the extra point was good and it was 41-0 MCC.

MCC had 117 yards rushing and 169 passing compared to 4 yards passing and 48 yards rushing for Sleepy Eye. Arian Saenz had 27 yards rushing and he also had 12 tackles.

Sleepy Eye (1-4) will play at Springfield (3-1) on Friday.