EBEN — The Superior Central Cougars survived a Nordic uprising here Thursday night as they hung on for a 52-40 season-opening football triumph over North Dickinson.

Superior Central led 52-20 following an 8-yard touchdown run on a keeper by junior quarterback Kyle Frusti with 2:54 left in the third quarter.

The Nordics responded with 20 unanswered points, climbing within the final 12-point margin on Brennan Donaldson’s 50-yard pass to Cameron Schultz with 2:25 remaining.

Schultz then recovered an onside kick, giving the Nordics possession on the Cougars’ 45-yard line.

Sophomore Zach Bukowski intercepted a pass at the 19 on the next play, enabling the Cougars to run out the clock.

“I subbed pretty early,” SC coach Sam Eggleston said. “I think I may have jumped the gun a little and it almost came back to haunt me. I decided if they scored twice we were going to put our starters back in.”

The Cougars opened the scoring just 64 seconds into the contest on Frusti’s 27-yard aerial to senior Zach Englund.

Frusti completed 19 of 28 passes for 375 yards and ran 12 times for 88.

The Nordics collected 411 yards in total offense.

Defensively, Englund was in on 11 tackles and James Maki had 10 tackles and a fumble recovery. Bukowski and junior Parker Maki intercepted two passes apiece and Englund swiped one.