The Awesome Blossoms nearly blew a big lead, but they came back to beat New Richland/H/E/G 33-30 in their football opener in New Richland Friday.

BP (1-0 overall) had to produce an 80-yard drive and convert a fourth down to walk away with the win after BP quarterback Luc Zellmer ran in a touchdown from three yards out on third and goal to put his team up for good with 28.2 seconds left in the game.

Zellmer, who threw for 345 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions, hit Luke Hueman for a first down on fourth and four to set up the score.

“We won, but it wasn’t a pretty game,” BP head coach Chad Gimbel said. “When things are going well, it’s easy to stick together. When things go south, that’s when you see your true character and we put together a good drive at the end, with most of it coming on the ground.”

Gabe Kartes caught a 64-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the game for BP and he ran a punt back 39 yards for a score before Hueman caught a 13-yard scoring pass to make it 20-0 BP.

The Blossoms also led 27-6 after another touchdown catch by Kartes with 7:41 left in the first half, but they wouldn’t score again until their final possession.

BP had five turnovers.

“We stopped ourselves more then they stopped us, but give NRHEG credit, they came back from a big hole,” Gimbel said.

SCORING SUMMARY

First quarter

(BP) Gabe Kartes 64 pass from Luc Zellmer (Pat Jones kick) 11:50

(BP) Kartes 39 punt return (Jones kick) 5:48

(BP) Luke Hueman 13 pass from Zellmer (kick failed) 2:10

Second quarter

(N) David Lassahn 43 pass from Sam Lundberg (kick failed) 11:42

(BP) Kartes 9 pass from Zellmer (Jones kick) 7:41

(N) Lassahn 50 pass from Lundberg (Lundberg run) 7:11

Third quarter

(N) Carter Tollefson 3 interception return (Lassahn from Lundberg) 8:43

(N) Jake Staloch pass from Lundberg (Nick Mangskau from Lundberg) 9:28

Fourth quarter

(BP) Zellmer 3 run (kick failed) 1:15

BP STATS

Passing: Luc Zellmer, 23-for-34, 345, 3 TD, 3 INT

Receiving: Gabe Kartes, 7-for-186, 2 TD; Luke Hueman, 9-for-132, TD

Rushing: Kartes, 9-for-73; Jonny Kraling, 12-for-61