Box Score MINOT, N.D. – Minot State University took a breath two minutes too early in the first half and the University of Sioux Falls made the Beavers pay.
USF scored 13 points in the final 1:01 of the second quarter to push a 21-7 lead into a 34-7 halftime lead and Minot State never fully recovered.
The key stretch of the game contributed to a loss in head coach Tyler Hughes' debut as USF won going away 41-14 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference football Saturday at Bob Young Field.
"Well it certainly wasn't the result we were looking for, we will have to play better, coach better, all areas need to be better," Hughes said. "But the kids played hard and we did some things that were good, just clean up some of those things. I told the guys after that we have come together in a short time as a football family and this shouldn't distract from that."
Minot State (0-1 overall, 0-1 NSIC) played well to open the game, earning a first down on its second possession of the game and holding the Cougars on its first possession. But the Cougars got things going in their second possession, going 84 yards in nine plays in just 2:42 to take a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter.
The efficient scoring drive was a recurring theme for the Cougars as they took a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter as Luke Papilion threw TD passes to Nick Stanke and Garrett Schutt in the first quarter and Nephi Garcia added a 10-yard run. The USF drives combined for 22 plays and took just a total of 6 minute and 37 seconds.
"We are a young defense yet and most of it was missed assignments, but most of that is correctable stuff," said MISU senior Casey Weinmann (LB, Selz, N.D.). "We will have to get back to the drawing board and work some of that out. It was a missed assignment here and there and Sioux Falls is a good team. They put up six pretty fast once we made a mistake."
The Beavers got on the board second quarter as Zac Cunha (Jr., QB, Rocklin, Calif.) found Glyn Borel (Sr., WR, San Jose, Calif.) on a 52-yard pass to cut the lead to 21-7. It was a one-play drive and gave the Beavers some momentum.
That was quickly squashed as Garcia scored on a 3-yard run and then Brady Rose caught an 18-yard pass from Matt Young on the two quick Cougar TDs right before the half.
"We gave up one late and were trying to generate a drive of our own, but turned it over," Hughes said. "They struck right away. That certainly wasn't a good way to end the half."
MISU got some momentum back in the second half as junior Thomas Bryson (DL, Layton, Utah) scooped up a fumble caused by Aaron James (Jr., LB, Oklahoma City, Okla.) and raced 63-yards untouched for a TD on the USF opening possession. Bryson had a solid debut in a Beavers' jersey as he had eight tackles, two sacks and two tackles for a loss to go along with the fumble return.
But Minot State couldn't build on the momentum as the Beavers managed just four first downs in the second half and only 11 for the game. USF, meanwhile, milked the game away with a strong, multi-look running attack featuring Garcia and Joseph Hlushak who gained 89 and 86 yards rushing respectively.
The Cougars (1-0, 1-0) ran 93 total plays for 497 yards. They held a huge 93-57 advantage in total plays and a 497-182.
Along with Bryson, Weinman and Levi Freidt (Sr., DB, Minot, N.D.) finished with solid defensive games. Weinmann had a total of 19 tackles – including 15 solo stops – and one tackle for a loss, while Freidt finished with 11 stops.
"I was happy with the way we came out in the second half and didn't quit," Weinmann said. "Some defenses would have after giving up that many points in the first, especially a young team, but we didn't. (USF) took the wind out of our sails with the no huddle and we were out of assignment a couple times. We will have to get better."
Young went 18-for-22 passing for 163 yards and a TD, while Papilion added 8-of-9 passing for 117 yards and two TDs. The USF QB tandem missed just five passes.
Minot State's offensive never got on track. The Beavers rushed for just 24 total yards as Jarvis Mustipher (So., RB, Melbourne, Fla.) had 33 yards on 15 carries. Cunha went 13-for-32 passing for 158 yards. Porter Sturm (Jr., WR, Roy, Mont.) led the way with four catches for 37 yards.
The Beavers will begin their 2014 home campaign with a game against Upper Iowa under the lights at Herb Parker Stadium Saturday at 6 p.m.
– GO BEAVERS –
