NEWELL – Down in the fourth quarter, top-ranked (8-man) Newell-Fonda scored the last 14 points to deal No. 6 Exira-EHK its first loss of the season here Friday night, 42-35.

Cole Wise recovered a fumble and returned it 65 yards for the game-winning score with just 29 seconds left for the Mustangs (7-0 overall, 5-0 in district), who have won 18 in a row now dating back to last season’s state title run.

Junior Reed Kruse provided the offense in place of Wise and Dustin Johnson, rushing for 117 yards. Johnson and Wise were limited to just 43 yards combined on the ground.

Jason Hess completed 4 of 13 passes for 120 yards, finding Connor Wolterman three times for 112 of those yards and a score.

Johnson did have 15 tackles on defense against Exira-EHK (6-1, 4-1), while Mason Scheidegger added 13 and Kruse 12.

Sophomore Jesse Haack had a 78-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

The Spartans, who had outscored their opponents 265-71 coming into the game, recovered two consecutive kicks in the third quarter.