August 23, 2018

PHOTO GALLERY

Photos credits by Cody Welu, Donald Weidler, Nathan Meyer

VIDEO OF CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TRAVELING TROPHY

MITCHELL, S.D. – Nationally-ranked Dakota State (S.D.) gained 332 rushing yards and made numerous defensive stops Thursday evening, propelling to a 27-18 victory over long-time rival Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) at Joe Quintal Field.  The Trojans kept the Chamber of Commerce Traveling Cup that began the annual tradition last season at Trojan Field.

It was the season opener for both teams.  It was the second straight year that the game was featured on live television on Midco Sports Network channel.

Dakota State was playing as a nationally-ranked team to open the season for the first time under head coach Josh Anderson.  The Trojans are ranked No. 25 in the NAIA Football Coaches' Preseason Top 25 national poll.

The Trojans earned their third consecutive win over the Tigers in the series meeting history, the first time since 1993-96 when DSU had won four straight meetings.  DWU holds a 39-33-1 series record over DSU.

FIRST QUARTER

DSU and DWU could not convert their scoring opportunities in the early going of the game.  The Trojans would score first in the game, thanks to 5 plays for 60 yards scoring drive.  After a 23-yard rush play by Brodie Frederiksen, Jared Richardson followed up with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Mason Leighton for a 6-0 lead. 

Casey Bourque hit the PAT extra-point kick to give DSU 7-0 lead with 1:38 to go in the first quarter.

SECOND QUARTER

Dakota State's defense made a stop as Dakota Wesleyan failed a fourth-down conversion on DSU's 27-yard line with 14:15 on the clock.

After the Trojans were forced to punt on the next possession, the Tigers put together 15 plays for 80 yards with a touchdown.  Luke Loudenburg ran for a 4-yard touchdown, but DSU kept their lead at 7-6 after a failed PAT kick by DWU Jon Wilhelmsen with 6:23 to go in the second quarter.

The Trojans were unable to extend their lead by the end of the first-half, despite 13 plays for 34 yards in 4:16.  The drive was halted on DWU's 29-yard line by turning the ball on downs with less than 40 seconds on the clock.

DSU led 7-6 at halftime.

THIRD QUARTER

Dakota State lost the ball during the kick-off return, starting the drive on DSU's 30-yard line for Dakota Wesleyan.  On fourth-and-9 situation on DSU's 29-yard line, Josiah Kelley intercepted DWU's Shaye Slaughter pass and returned it for 43 yards to DWU's 44-yard line with 14:09 on the clock.

The Trojans took advantage from DWU's turnover as Richardson connected to Leighton for the second time in the game.  Richardson threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Leighton as DSU's lead grew to 13-7 with 11:43 to go in the third quarter.

Tiger Mitch Johnson intercepted Richardson's pass on DSU's 34-yard line and returned it for 25 yards to DSU's 9-yard line with 9:20 on the clock.

Dakota State's made a huge defensive stop on the fourth-and-goal situation on DSU's 2-yard line as Slaughter's pass was incomplete to Loudenburg (broken up by Michael Cleveland).

With DSU's drive starting on their own 19-yard line with five minutes to go in the third quarter, Frederiksen ran for an 80-yard touchdown to widen Trojans' lead to 19-6.  Bourque hit the PAT kick to make it 20-6 in favor of DSU with 4:21 on the clock.

Dakota Wesleyan marched down the field on the ensuing possession, but Dakota State made another big stop at the goal line.  Facing fourth-and-goal on DSU's 1-yard line, Slaughter's pass was incomplete to Kyreice Miller as the Trojans regained possession with 1:06 to go in the third quarter.

DSU outscored DWU 13-0 in the third quarter.

FOURTH QUARTER

After a missed field goal by Dakota State in the early fourth quarter, Dakota Wesleyan quickly answered back with a touchdown.  The Tigers used six plays for 63 yards in less than two minutes, where Slaughter threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to Jonny Withrow.  Wilhelmsen missed the PAT extra-point kick as the Trojans maintained a 20-12 lead with 8:07 to go in the game.

Frederiksen added a 38-yard rushing touchdown on the ensuing possession as the Trojans' lead grew to 26-12 with 6:20 on the clock.  Bourque's PAT kick was good to put DSU up 27-12.

DWU trimmed DSU's lead to 27-18 after Slaughter's 31-yard touchdown pass to Daniel Libolt with 2:51 remaining.  The Tigers failed to convert their 2-point PAT attempt.

Despite the on-side kick by DWU, the Trojans' defense sealed the game as DWU's drive was halted on DSU's 32-yard line after turn on downs with 1:32 left.

INSIDE THE BOX

Frederiksen ran a career-high 286 rushing yards (8 yards short for tying the single-game school rushing record – 294 yards by Jim Janssen in 1978) in 31 attempts for Dakota State.  He had two rushing touchdowns.  Hagan Hines added 11 rushes for 81 yards.

Richardson finished the game by going 12-of-26 with 157 passing yards for the Trojans.  He threw two touchdown passes and two interceptions in the game.

Leighton led DSU with seven receptions for 99 yards and two touchdowns.  David Bond added a catch for 33 yards.  Mitchell Galloway had a reception for 15 yards.

Riley Janke led the Trojans' defense with 12 tackles (11 solo).  Marcus Vanden Bosch added eight tackles.  Wyatt Sanford tallied seven tackles.  He had an interception and return it for 23 yards.  Curt Boeke had six tackles and a quarterback sack.  John Trout and Darby Neal each added a sack.

Kelley recorded an interception and return it for 43 yards for Dakota State.

Loudenburg ran 23 times for 139 yards with a touchdown for the Tigers. 

DWU's Slaughter went 28-of-57 in the air for 384 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.  Libolt had six catches for 150 yards and a touchdown.  Spencer Neugebauer had six receptions for 73 yards.

Tyler Wagner and Dillon Rork each had eight tackles for Dakota Wesleyan.  Eathen Gaulke registered seven tackles.  Alan Murtic and Samuel Kretschmar each had a sack.  Mitch Johnson and Sam Naasz each recorded an interception.

TEAM COMPARISONS

Dakota Wesleyan outgained Dakota State 512-489 in total offensive yards.  It was the third straight meeting that both teams racked up a combined 1,000 yards.

The Trojans ran 332 yards on the ground compared to the Tigers 128 yards.  DWU threw 384 yards while DSU had 157 passing yards.

DSU produced 25 first-downs in the game.  DWU had 24 first-downs.

Dakota State was 5-of-14 on third-down conversions compared to Dakota Wesleyan 5-of-17.  The Tigers were 1-of-7 on fourth-down situations, while the Trojans converted 1-of-4 fourth-downs. 

UP NEXT

Dakota State plays its home opener next Saturday (Sept. 1) as they host St. Ambrose (Iowa).  Kick-off is slated for 1 p.m. at Trojan Field in Madison, S.D.

Dakota Wesleyan heads on the road next Saturday as they visit another North Star Athletic Association foe.  The Tigers visit Presentation (S.D.) with a 7 p.m. kick-off at Swisher Field in Aberdeen.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director