November 8, 2015

Photos credits by Kaden Huntrods and Lori Waldner

FARGO, N.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) could not overcome their three fumbles lost, an interception and facing a 21-7 first-quarter deficit Sunday afternoon in rematch against nationally-ranked No. 24 Dickinson State (N.D.) in the Dacotah Bank/North Star Athletic Association (NSAA) Football Bowl game at FargoDome.  The Trojans fell in their regular-season finale with a 49-30 non-conference loss to the Blue Hawks, who won their regular-season conference title last week with 5-1 record (only conference loss was to Dakota State 54-21 on Oct. 17).

The Blue Hawks quickly opened up the game with a 48-yard touchdown run by Tray Boone with twelve minutes and fourteen seconds on the clock.  DiSU converted a successful 2-point try as Dalton Reid threw a pass to Colten Johnson, giving the Blue Hawks an 8-0 lead.  Dickinson State used 7 plays for 75 yards in 2:41 for their first score of the game.

Dakota State committed a fumble on their own 29-yard line as DiSU's Matt McCoy recovered a fumble from Jacob Giles.  The Blue Hawks jumped to a 14-0 lead with 9:46 left in the first quarter as Robert Sterling connected to Austin Brown for a 29-yard touchdown pass (Joshua Perry-Kruse's PAT kick was good).

The Trojans answered back on the ensuing possession after Daveon Banks returned a 47-yard kickoff from DaSU's 13-yard line to DiSU's 40-yard line.  Three plays player, Jacob Giles threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to Brendon Waldner, followed by PAT kick by Nic Behrens as DSU got on board trailing 14-7 with 8:22 on the clock in the first quarter.

Dickinson State used another big play on the next possession, a 53-yard touchdown pass from Kaler Ray to Jamion Lindsey with less than seven minutes left in the first quarter.  Perry-Kruse added the PAT kick to put the Blue Hawks up 21-7.

The Trojans committed another fumble on the first play of the second quarter when Robert Johnson fumbled the ball on DaSU's 42-yard line, which was recovered by DiSU's Cain Boschee with 14:22 on the clock.

After Trojan Cole Potter's sack on Blue Hawk's quarterback Ray, Boone ran for 29-yards and followed up with an 18-yard touchdown pass from Ray to Perry-Kruse with 13:43 left in the first-half.  Perry-Kruse hit the PAT kick as DiSU's lead grew to 28-7.

The Trojans cut Dickinson State's lead to 28-10 with 8:06 remaining in the second quarter after Nic Behrens kicked a 24-yard field goal.  Dakota State used 15 plays for 60 yards in 5:37 in the scoring drive, with 11 plays coming from the rushing plays.

DaSU added another score late in the second quarter after Hines recorded a 22-yard touchdown run with 2:31 remaining.  Behrens added the PAT kick as the Trojans reduced DiSU's lead to 28-17.  Dakota State used 7 plays for 77 yards in 1:58, which included a 37-yard rush by Jeremy Christner.

The Trojans suffered their third fumble of the game near halftime as the Blue Hawks took advantage for another touchdown.  Waldner lost the ball on DaSU's 24-yard line as DiSU's Matthew Van DeBossche recovered the ball.  After Boone ran for 1-yard, Ray threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to Seth Ewoniuk with 11 seconds to play in the second quarter.  Perry-Kruse's PAT kick was good as the Blue Hawks take up a 35-17 halftime advantage.

The Trojans received the ball first to kick off the second-half and went down to use 7 plays for 68 yards in 2:48 as Robert Johnson ran for a 7-yard touchdown (Giles threw a 29-yard pass to Waldner during the scoring drive).  Behrens added a successful PAT kick as Dakota State trimmed their deficit to 35-24 with 12:07 remaining in the third.

Dickinson State responded on the ensuing possession as the Blue Hawks recorded 9 plays for 65 yards in 4:11.  Ray threw a 31-yard touchdown pass to Austin Brown with less than eight minutes left in the third.  Perry-Kruse's PAT kick was good as the Blue Hawks extended their lead to 42-24.

DiSU expanded their lead to 49-24 early in the fourth quarter (14:25 remaining in the game) after using 11 plays for 71 yards in 6:17 as Boone rushed for a 2-yard touchdown run (Perry-Kruse's PAT kick was good).

The final score of the game came late in the fourth quarter with a minute left when Johnson recorded a 6-yard touchdown run.  The Trojans were unable to convert their 2-point attempt as the Blue Hawks maintained a 49-30 lead.  During the final scoring drive, a key play included a Justin Summers' 32-yard pass to Austin Opdahl.

DiSU secured the game after securing the ball from DaSU's onside kick. 

Christner rushed 19 times for 121 yards for the Trojans.  Johnson added 13 rushes for 76 yards and ran for two touchdowns.  Hines had five rushes for 42 yards and a touchdown.

Giles was 13-of-24 for 113 yards with a touchdown for Dakota State.  He also had six rushes for 41 yards.

Waldner had four receptions for 66 yards with a touchdown for DaSU.  Doug Hale added four catches for 22 yards.  Ophahl had three catches for 40 yards.

Ben Kullos finished his stellar four-year career at Dakota State after leading the Trojans with 14 tackles in the game.  He owns the Trojan school records with 439 career tackles and 179 tackles in a single season.  Kullos also had 1.5 quarterback sacks, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble. 

Bronson Arguello added eight tackles for DaSU.  Potter had seven tackles and two sacks.  Tyler Poggemeyer registered six tackles.  Eric Wahl had 1.5 sacks of 13.5 yards.

Boone ran 24 times for 186 yards with two touchdowns for the Blue Hawks.  Ray was 9-of-15 with 167 yards and threw four touchdowns in the game.  He also ran 15 times for 36 yards.

Jay Liggins led Dickinson State with eight tackles.  Devin Martin and Boschee each added seven tackles and a forced fumble.  Boschee had an interception.  Sefa Fatu recorded a quarterback sack.

Dickinson State outgained Dakota State 469-425 in total offensive yards.  The Trojans had more rushing yards than the Blue Hawks 280-273.  It was the 10th straight game that Dakota State had eclipsed over 200 rushing yards.  DiSU had 196 passing yards compared to DaSU 145 passing yards.

The Blue Hawks recorded 29 first-downs in the game while the Trojans had 26 first-downs.

DiSU was whistled for 13 penalties for 113 yards.  DaSU also had 13 penalties for 100 yards.

Both teams converted third-downs with a 50 percent rate (DaSU 6-of-12 and DiSU 7-of-14). 

Dakota State broke team records in the following categories – most total offensive yards with 5,035 yards (old record of 4,610 set in 2014), 257 first-downs (old record of 255 first-downs in 2012), 2,905 rushing yards (22-year old record – 2,783 set in 1993) and most points scored with 368 points (old record of 348 points set in 2014).

The Trojans completed back-to-back 6-5 overall records, their first back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1970's.  Dickinson State improved to 8-2 overall record.

It was the final career collegiate football game for 14 Dakota State football seniors – Spencer Carlson, Summers, Austin Ross, Poggemeyer, Cooper Hausmann, Dan Ngandali, Tyler Pruszynski, Hale, Kullos, Jason Grady, Matt Wiles, Steven Gram, Bobby Tisch and Ridge Lindberg.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director