MINOT, N.D. – It's "Senior Day," and Minot State will celebrate the final home game for 10 Beaver football players by hosting in-state rival the University of Mary.

Yes, it's time to renew the Battle of the Big Lake as Minot State hosts the Marauders this Saturday at 2 p.m. at First Western Bank Field at Herb Parker Stadium for a day that'll be filled with emotions.

Prior to kick-off, the Beavers (0-9 overall) will honor seniors Ben Bolinske, David D'Amico, Spencer Gordon, Pat Hardy, Troy Kowal, Logan Krueger, Peyton Lamouruex, Carson Medeiros, Caleb Ness, and Jordan Sanford, some of whom have been with Coach Mike Aldrich and the Minot State program for six years now.

After the senior send-off, it'll be time to kick-off the ninth edition of the Battle of the Big Lake with the trophy at stake for the winner. Last season that proved to be UMary (2-7) which held on for a 49-31 victory that snapped a five-game win streak for the Beavers in the head-to-head series. Minot State still holds the edge in the Battle of the Big Lake, 5-3.

The head-to-head series dates well beyond the start of the trophy games, which began in 2013, as Minot State holds a 16-13 lead in the battle with the University of Mary, a rivalry first played in 1988 when the Beavers claimed victory No. 1 over the Marauders, 42-22.

SCOUTING THE MARAUDERS
Mary comes into the rivalry contest having beaten Concordia, St. Paul last weekend, 23-13, the Marauders second victory of the fall.

Senior running back Dave Small Jr., a transfer from NCAA Division I South Florida, led the way against the Golden Bears with a career-high 147 yards on the ground and a touchdown. Small Jr. is fourth in the NSIC in rushing averaging 78.3 yards per game and fourth in rushing TDs with eight this season.

Senior linebacker Charles Devyn, who is sixth in the NSIC in total tackles (75) and tackles for loss (10), led the defense with seven tackles last Saturday.

UMARY PLAYERS TO WATCH
All-American senior wide receiver Danny Kittner continues to thrill Marauder fans and frustrate foes as he was National Special Teams Player of the Week as he returned a kick-off 92 yards in a 40-38 loss to MSU Moorhead on Oct. 22.

In that same game, Kittner broke the NSIC career receptions and receiving yardage records as well and now has 275 receptions for 3,519 yards in his four seasons in Bismarck, North Dakota.

MINOT STATE PLAYERS TO WATCH
Junior All-American running back Ali Mohamed broke the NCAA Division II school rushing yardage record in his last home game and now needs 684 more yards to become the all-time rushing leader for the Beavers. He also needs three touchdowns to break the NCAA Division II scoring record held by Jose Luis Moreno (2015-19) of 149 points. Mohamed has 132 points with 19 career rushing touchdowns and three receiving TDs.

On defense, junior cornerback Knylen Miller-Levi, a First Team All-NSIC selection last season, picked off his third pass of the season last weekend at Minnesota Duluth, and the sixth of his career putting him No. 2 in the Beavers' NCAA Division II era in interceptions. He needs three more picks to tie Kiante Goudeau (2017-18) for the D-II record.

UP NEXT
Minot State wraps up the regular season next weekend playing at Concordia, St. Paul on Saturday, Nov. 12, at noon.