Box Score MARSHALL, Minn. – It was billed up as Minot State University's stingy defense against Southwest Minnesota State's potent offense.

The advantage in the end went to the Mustangs.

Southwest Minnesota State racked up 530 yards of total offense and capitalized on both MISU turnovers and a couple big penalties in the second half to stop the Beavers 37-21 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference football Friday at the Schwan Regional Event Center.

"It comes down to us protecting the ball. They ran 40 plays in the first quarter and we ran eight and we turn the ball over on three of them," said MISU head coach Paul Rudolph. "We battled back a couple times, but we made too many mistakes to beat a good football team."

Minot State (1-2 overall, 1-2 NSIC) trailed 24-0 in the first half before getting on the board as MISU turned the ball over three times.

"You can't put the ball on the ground and you can't throw it to the wrong people and be successful," Rudolph said. "Seventeen of their first 24 points come off turnovers."

SMSU (2-1, 2-1) raced out to the 24-point lead on a pair of touchdowns by Tyler Tonderum along with a Nate Henrichs field goal and a Jordan Cross TD catch from Charlie Kern. Three of the drives were nine plays or more, including a 10-play, 66-yard drive to start the game.

The Beavers got points on the board late in the second quarter and grabbed some momentum as Randel Barber (So., RB, Maricopa, Ariz.) scored from 2-yards out to cap an 8-play, 72-yard drive. It could have been the start of even more momentum for the Beavers as MISU drove into the red zone just before the half, but missed a 31-yard field was just a few seconds to play.

"We had a chance to get some things going at the end of the half and we were going to get the ball back to start the second half," Rudolph said. "We failed on a couple passes and missed the field goal. We weren't a very efficient football team."

And, the remainder of momentum was doused with a penalty-filled first drive and two straight scoring drives for SMSU extended due to penalties.

"We knew they were going to come out with that fast paced offense and their quarterback was good," said MISU senior linebacker Josh Weidler (Velva, N.D.). "We just didn't play it right away, didn't communicate well. For the most part, they just outplayed us."

The Beavers made it interesting down the stretch with touchdown catches from Leon La Deaux (Jr., WR, Port Orchard, Wash.) and Wayne Peters (Sr., WR, Carson, Calif.) in the fourth quarter. LaDeaux caught his first TD as a member of the Beavers, snagging a 27-yard TD from Zac Cunha (So., QB, Rocklin, Calif.) early in the fourth quarter. It became a two possession game as Peters caught a 2-yard TD with 9:18 to play.

"We got some running game going to a certain extent but mainly off the passing game," Rudolph said. "If that is how we have to do it, set up the run with the pass, that's fine, but we needed to make that adjustment a little earlier."

LaDeaux caught nine passes for 131 yards and a score. Peters had seven catches for 76 yards and a TD. Cunha was 23-39-3 for 280 yards and two TDs. Barber finished with 75 yards on 12 carries to pace the running game.

Tyler Tonderum finished with 135 yards rushing and three scores for SMSU. Charlie Kern threw for 250 yards and two scores in the win.

Minot State's defense, which was on the field for 90 plays, had three players in double-figures for tackles. Uepati Fatilua (Sr., LB, Vallejo, Calif.) had 15 tackles including two for a loss to pace the defense. Jeff Buchert (Sr., DB, Plainfield, Conn.) and Chad Marshall (Sr., LB, Hazen, N.D.) finished with 11 tackles apiece. Weidler added six tackles, two pass breakups and an interception.

"We saw the play they ran a ton on film and I missed it a couple times earlier, but timed it right on the interception," Weidler said of his first interception as a Beaver.

Minot State will need to regroup for Homecoming 2013 as the Beavers battle one of the top teams in the Northern Sun in Winona State. Kickoff at Herb Parker Stadium is slated for 1:30 p.m.

– GO BEAVERS –