With his eye black smeared and blood dribbling from a cut on his forehead, Teddy Petersen’s face looked better than how he felt inside.

The stomach of the Glencoe-Silver Lake running back churned as he watched the last gut-wrenching minutes of Saturday’s Class 3A state quarterfinal game against Blue Earth Area. 

The Buccaneers recovered a Petersen fumble and took the ensuing possession down to the Panthers’ 14-yard line, threatening to score the game-winning touchdown with less than 20 seconds to play.

Glencoe-Silver Lake’s defense provided Petersen with a tonic as the Panthers ended the scoring threat by sacking Blue Earth Area senior quarterback Luke Schavey as time expired to preserve a 20-14 victory and a place in the semifinals.

Petersen’s teammates, including long-time friend and Panthers quarterback Keaton Anderson, wouldn’t give him the chance to dwell on his potentially season-ending mistake.

“I almost went into tears because they picked me up right after that play,” Petersen said with a wry smile.

Glencoe-Silver Lake’s defensive ensured that Petersen would be remembered for his offensive output, and not the fumble. He ran for one touchdown and caught another while finishing with 130 rushing yards.

“I didn’t want to give up the game by making a dumb mistake,” Petersen said moments after the game-ending sack.

The Panthers escaped this game without being hurt by a costly mistake, but they can not rely on late-game heroics moving forward.

“Our kids know what’s expected of them,” Glencoe-Silver Lake coach Scott Tschimperle said. “We just can’t put ourselves in that type of situation.”

Tschimperle, who has been the Panthers’ head coach for seven seasons and with the program for its five state championships, was impressed with how the defense played in a win-or-go-home situation.

“Our defense had to rise and make plays,” he said. “They came up with the big play when they needed to.”

The character of the team - and its chemistry off the field - are among the reasons that Anderson, a senior in his fourth varsity season, believes this team is successful.

“All of us are really good friends,” Anderson said. “That’s the difference between this team and any other team I’ve been on.”

Junior running back Teddy Petersen ran for one touchdown and caught another to lift Glencoe-Silver Lake over Blue Earth Area 20-14 in the Class 3A state tournament quarterfinals Saturday night at Burnsville High School.

Petersen finished with 130 rushing yards for the Panthers (9-3).

Petersen scored on a 3-yard run at the 8:15 mark of the second quarter, slicing and spinning past several Buccaneers for the touchdown. His most impressive highlight came later in the quarter on a 21-yard touchdown reception. Petersen caught the pass off a defender’s back and then ran into the end zone to put the Panthers up 20-14.

Blue Earth threatened to score the game-winning touchdown in the waning moments of the fourth quarter, driving to Glencoe-Silver Lake’s 14-yard line with less than 20 seconds to play. The Panthers ended the threat by sacking Buccaneers senior quarterback Luke Schavey as time expired.

Glencoe-Silver Lake senior quarterback Keaton Anderson rushed for 84 yards and caught a touchdown pass from senior wide receiver Tanner Grack on a trick play in the first quarter to open the scoring for the Panthers.

Schavey threw a pair of touchdown passes to senior wide receiver Conor Barnett and had 83 rushing yards for the Buccaneers (9-2).

Glencoe-Silver Lake moves on to play Wright County Conference rival New London-Spicer in the semifinals at 3 p.m. Saturday at Eden Prairie High School. The Panthers lost to the Wildcats 20-7 in their regular-season matchup on Sept. 19.

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