Newcastle tops Thermopolis in one-point season opener

The Newcastle Dogies opened the 2025 football season in dramatic fashion Friday night, edging the Thermopolis Bobcats 21–20 in a Zero Week scrimmage played at a neutral site in Buffalo.

“It was a dogfight,” Dogies head coach Matt Conzelman said. “It was fun, and we couldn’t get any more in the middle. Both towns had about a two-and-a-half-hour bus ride to get there, and that made it the perfect spot to meet.”

Newcastle struck first in the opening quarter, when quarterback Teddy Troftgruben capped a drive with a rushing touchdown to put the Dogies on the board. Thermopolis answered in the second quarter with a scoring run of its own, but Newcastle held a slim 7–6 advantage at halftime.

The Dogies extended their lead in the third quarter when Troftgruben connected with receiver Dane Crabtree for a touchdown pass, pushing the margin to 14–6. Thermopolis came right back, pounding out another rushing score to close the gap to 14–12 heading into the fourth.

In the final frame, Troftgruben again used his legs to reach the end zone, giving Newcastle a 21–12 cushion. The Bobcats refused to go quietly, scoring once more late in the game, but their failed conversion attempt left them one point short of the Dogies as the clock wound down.

The difference came in the kicking game. Senior fullback and defensive end Cole Erb, who also handled placekicking duties, was perfect on the night, going three-for-three on extra points to secure the win.

“We saw where our strengths and weaknesses are at, and that was the overall goal,” Conzelman said. “They’ve been on our schedule for the last two years, so it was good to meet up again and see where we’re at.”

Beyond the touchdowns, the Dogies got important contributions across the field. Running back and linebacker Collin McConkey ground out tough yards between the tackles and was active defensively. Tight end and linebacker Drew Conzelman provided blocking support and defensive stops, while Erb delivered on both sides of the ball in addition to his perfect night kicking. On the line, veterans Mason Rawhouser and Nathan White helped Newcastle match up against Thermopolis’s big front.

The Dogies now turn their attention to the regular season, carrying momentum from a scrimmage that highlighted both their offensive firepower and areas to sharpen before diving into a tough 2A conference schedule. With seven starters returning on both sides of the ball and a strong senior core, Newcastle looks poised to build on last year’s 6–3 record and playoff berth.

Newcastle 21, Thermopolis 20

Scoring by Quarter
Thermopolis – 0 6 6 8 — 20
Newcastle – 7 0 7 7 — 21

Team Stats

• First Downs: Thermopolis 12, Newcastle 8
• Rushing Yards: Thermopolis 243, Newcastle 124
• Passing Yards: Thermopolis 91, Newcastle 46
• Total Offense: Thermopolis 334, Newcastle 229
• Turnovers: Thermopolis 3, Newcastle 1
• Penalties–Yards: Thermopolis 1–5, Newcastle 7–40
• Punts–Average: Thermopolis 1–2 (2.0), Newcastle 4–116 (29.0)

Newcastle Leaders

• Passing: T. Troftgruben 6-13, 41 yds, INT
• Rushing: Troftgruben 17-50, 2 TD; Crabtree 4-54, TD; McConkey 6-14
• Receiving: Crabtree 2-22, TD; Perino 3-24; Erb 1-1
• Kicking: Erb 3-3 PATs

Defensive Leaders

• McConkey 11 tackles, 0.5 TFL
• Perino 9 tackles
• D. Conzelman 8 tackles
• Troftgruben 3 tackles, PBU
• White 5 tackles, FR
• Rawhouser 5 tackles, TFL