NEW ULM, Minn. – The Panthers showed tremendous heart and offensive firepower on Saturday afternoon, nearly completing a comeback before falling just short in a 41–39 thriller against Martin Luther. Despite early setbacks, Greenville stormed back with big plays on both sides of the ball, pushing the Knights to the edge in a game that came down to the final minutes.

How it Happened:

Martin Luther jumped out to a quick 14–0 lead in the first quarter, Xavien Moody answered with a 12-yard touchdown run for Greenville.

After Martin Luther extended the lead to 21–6, the Panthers struck back with a 12-play, 63-yard drive capped by an 8-yard touchdown pass to LaShawn Williams, followed by a 6-yard rushing score from Terrel Graves to make it 19–21.

Greenville grabbed the lead midway through the third on another Graves touchdown, his second of the day, to go up 26–21.

After Martin Luther reclaimed the lead, Graves exploded for a 43-yard touchdown run early in the fourth to bring the Panthers short two again, 32–34.

A late 10-play, 73-yard drive was finished off by Tiffin Kouzoukas' 17-yard touchdown pass to Williams, cutting the score to 41–39, but the final drive stalled as time expired.

Defensive Highlights:

Greenville's defense made key contributions to keep the game within reach throughout the afternoon. Jason Stringfellow led the unit with eight total tackles (six solo), flying to the ball from start to finish.

Elias Velasquez added six tackles (one solo, five assisted) and broke up a key pass to halt an MLC drive. Terrance Lawless and Samuel Benavidez each recorded six tackles, with Lawless adding four assists and Benavidez notching four solo stops.

Jayden Morris made a crucial impact with five total tackles and a momentum-shifting interception. Despite the high score, the unit showed resilience and created multiple opportunities for the offense to respond.

Up Next:

Greenville (3–2, 2-1 UMAC) returns home next Saturday for Homecoming weekend against Minn.-Morris at 12:15 p.m.