MINOT STATE 2-DEEP MARY 2-DEEP
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MINOT, N.D. – It's rivalry weekend for the Beavers and time for one of those proverbial contests where you can throw the records out the window.
The Minot State football team heads South to play in-state rival the University of Mary on Saturday, renewing The Battle of the Big Lake now in its eighth year. Kick-off is set for 2 p.m. at the MDU Resources Community Bowl in Bismarck, N.D.
"This game has been a big game for both teams ever since I have been here," Minot State football coach
Mike Aldrich said. "Not only is it a big game to our current teams, but I think it is very meaningful to the schools and alumni. It's fun that this game is towards the end of the season as well, as the teams have been able to find their identities throughout the course of the season building up to the game."
Over the past five years, the Beavers have been the team hoisting The Battle of the Big Lake trophy, a trend Minot State (1-8 overall) hopes to continue when they take on the Marauders (3-6), who won the rivalry's first two meetings.
Here is a quick look at this weekend's matchup:
LAST TIME OUT (MINOT): A determined Beavers squad led much of the first half against perennial powerhouse Minnesota Duluth last weekend but settled for a 7-7 tie at halftime before the Bulldogs pulled away with 17 third-quarter points then held on for a 34-21 win.
Nathan Young hauled in a 9-yard touchdown pass from
Dawson Macleary on the first play of the second quarter, giving Minot State the early 7-0 that held up until just before halftime when Minnesota Duluth finally got on the scoreboard against a stingy Beaver defense.
Defensively,
Logan Krueger tied a single-game NCAA Division II school record with three sacks, while the Beavers also forced two fumbles, recovering one.
Kyle VanBerkom added a game-high 12 tackles for Minot State.
Turnovers proved key, though, as the Bulldogs turned an interception and a fumble recovery into 10 of those third-quarter points, and another turnover midway through the fourth quarter led to a game-clinching score for Minnesota Duluth.
Not that the Beavers didn't fight every second of the way as
Peyton Lamoureux raced 62 yards down the left sideline on a double reverse for a touchdown, cutting the difference to 24-14 early in the fourth quarter.
Lamoureux added one more big play, hauling in a 49-yard touchdown pass from Macleary in the final minute for the final 34-21 score.
Lamoureux finished with a big day, rushing for 62 yards and catching three passes for 91 yards, while Macleary completed 17-of-39 passes for 228 yards, and
Ali Mohamed – who leads the NSIC in total rushing yards with 918 – added 50 yards rushing on 23 carries.
LAST TIME OUT (MARY): The Marauders snapped a three-game skid with a dominating effort against visiting Concordia-St. Paul, erasing a 10-7 deficit in the second quarter with four straight touchdowns en route to a 42-17 victory.
Senior, 6-foot-5 quarterback Logan Nelson, who has led the way all season, did once again with another solid performance as he completed 22-of-31 passes for 332 yards and four touchdowns without an interception.
An efficient Mary ground game was led by Dorian McAllister with 41 yards on nine carries, while Diamonte Stugelmeyer added 27 yards on eight carries and the Marauders second touchdown of the day for a 14-10 lead.
Danny Kittner and Luke Little were the top targets for Nelson as Kittner grabbed 11 passes for 179 yards and a score while Little had five receptions for 93 yards and two more TDs.
Devyn Charles led the defense with eight tackles and a sack, while Ty'Rese Gibson had a tackle and an interception.
SCOUTING THE MARAUDERS: Nelson has been a prolific team leader completing more than 65 percent of his passes (228-of-348) for 2,895 yards and 31 touchdowns while throwing just five interceptions. His top targets consistently have been 5-10 junior wide receiver Kittner, with 99 catches for 1,332 yards and 14 TDs, and 6-4 senior wide receiver Little with 69 catches for 992 yards and 15 scores.
That trio has the Mary passing game on top of the NSIC in yards per game (341.0), with Nelson the No. 1 passer in the league, and Kittner and Little the top two receivers, as well.
On the ground, though, the Marauders averaged just 102.1 yards per game.
"We can't dictate the number of times an opposing team throws the football or runs the football, but what we can focus on is limiting explosive plays against our defense," Aldrich said of stopping the Mary offense. "We have to play with confidence and discipline and be solid tacklers."
Defensively, the Marauders have just eight sacks on the season – the same as Minot State – and have collected just seven turnovers, five interceptions and two fumble recoveries. Tylen Small, a 6-1 sophomore defensive back, leads the defense with 61 tackles while 6-1 junior linebacker Jack Barry has 24 tackles, including 2 ½ sacks, and Charles, a 6-0 junior linebacker, has 24 tackles and two sacks. Isaiah Pittman, a 5-10 freshman defensive back, leads the way in the secondary with 49 tackles and two interceptions, while 6-1 sophomore defensive back Ty'Rese Gibson has 24 tackles and two more interceptions for the Marauders.
"Every opponent offers unique challenges," Aldrich said of the Mary defense, adding, "there is no chance that we will take any aspect of their game lightly."
COACH ALDRICH'S KEYS TO THE GAME: "Our offensive focus is to be efficient on offense and limit turnovers. We want to get our guys into rhythm and flow and create positive gains and momentum.
"The effort and the fight and the grit of our team is part of our DNA," Minot State's coach added. "We will keep competing no matter the situation or the opponent. There will be no lack of motivation this week and I think it will be a highly competitive game."
LOOKING AHEAD: Next weekend Minot State returns home to close out the season hosting Concordia-St. Paul on Saturday, Nov. 13, at 11 a.m. The final game of the season will be a special day as it will be "Senior Day" for the Beavers, as well.
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