November 9, 2019
Photos credit by Karen Giles
ABERDEEN, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) never trailed in the final regular-season football game, holding off Presentation's (S.D.) furious fourth-quarter comeback for a 31-29 Dacotah Bank/North Star Athletic Association conference victory at Swisher Field Saturday afternoon. The Trojans led by 15 points after three quarter before the Saints outscored DSU 13-0 in the final quarter, holding on DSU's second straight road victory.
The victory also moved Dakota State to .500 with an overall record of 5-5. The Trojans finished the conference schedule with a 3-4 record. Presentation finished its season with an overall record of 1-9 and 1-6 NSAA conference record.
The Trojans improved its all-time series record to 7-2 with the Saints, remaining undefeated at Swisher Field with a 4-0 record since the series began in 2013. DSU had won its fourth straight meeting with PC.
It was the fifth time in the last six seasons that the Trojans had recorded at least five victories in a season.
FIRST QUARTER
- Dakota State's Casey Bourque used the onside kick to open the game, as Noah Guse recovered the ball on PC 46-yard line to retain the first possession of the game.
- The Trojans continued their opening drive after converting a fourth-and-three situation on PC's 39-yard line as Torren Devericks rushed for four yards. He followed up with another first-down with a 16-yard pass to Dajshon Keel to PC's 19-yard line.
- Brodie Frederiksen rushed for 12 yards to produce another first down to PC's 2-yard line for the Trojans. He then rushed for a 2-yard touchdown run, tying the DSU's single-season school record for most rushing touchdowns with 15 touchdowns by Jeff Rodman in 1976. Joshua Snook followed up with a successful PAT extra-point kick to give DSU a 7-0 lead with 12:03 remaining in the first quarter.
- Presentation went three-and-out on the ensuing possession, setting up another scoring drive for Dakota State. The Trojans used six plays for 41 yards in 2:22 as they produced three 10-plus yards plays during the scoring drive. Devericks connected to Roger Moore for a 15-yard touchdown pass, followed by Snook's PAT extra-point kick for DSU 14-0 lead with 8:12 to go in the first.
- PC would score on the next possession with seven plays for 72 in 3:06. Hunter Giffrow threw a 36-yard touchdown pass to Theryne Jimenez with 5:06 left. The PAT kick by Max Welch was no good as the Trojans hold on to a 14-6 lead.
SECOND QUARTER
- With third-down and four yards to go on PC's 19-yard line, DSU's Jordan Thomas intercepted Giffrow's pass on PC's 31-yard line with 10:43 to go in the second quarter.
- The Trojans would quickly score on the next play as Devericks threw a 31-yard touchdown pass to Moore. Snook hit a successful PAT extra-point kick to widen DSU's lead to 21-6.
- Presentation had to settle for a field goal on the next drive. The Saints used seven plays for 46 yards in 2:34 as Welch hit a 37-yard field goal, trailing 21-9 with 8:06 left.
- Dakota State nearly used up the final eight minutes of the second quarter on the ensuing possession. The Trojans used 17 plays for 52 yards in 7:51 as they settled for a field goal. Snook converted a 35-yard field goal with 15 seconds left in the second quarter, extending their lead to 24-9.
- The Trojans ended the first-half as Nico Feroni intercepted Giffrow's pass on PC 43-yard line.
THIRD QUARTER
- Dakota State's defense halted Presentation from scoring in the third quarter. Riley Janke recovered a fumble by Dylan Paulsen on DSU's 12-yard line and returned it for 13 yards to DSU's 25-yard line with less than seven minutes to go.
- The Trojans were unable to convert their scoring chance from the turnover, forcing to punt. Giffrow threw a 37-yard touchdown pass to Paulsen with 3:41 on the clock in the third quarter. Welch added the PAT extra-point kick as the Saints cut Trojans' lead to 24-16.
DSU went on to use six plays for 51 yards in the next drive for a touchdown, thanks to back-to-back of over 18 yards rushing (Brenner Furlong with 18-yard rush from PC's 46 yard-line to PC's 28-yard line followed by Frederiksen's 23-yard rush to PC's 5-yard line).- Facing third-and-goal on PC's 4-yard line, Cooper McDermott threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Devericks with 34 seconds left on the clock. Snook added the PAT extra-point kick to extend DSU's lead to 31-16.
FOURTH QUARTER
- Presentation recorded 14 plays for 67 yards in nearly six minutes as they scored a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Trey Pajimula rushed for a 1-yard touchdown, followed by Welch's PAT extra-point kick as the Saints trimmed DSU's lead to 31-23 with 9:37 to go.
- Dakota State committed a turnover on the ensuing possession. Jarod Seery recorded a 'pick six' as he returned an interception for a 55-yard touchdown with 5:01 remaining. The 2-point PAT extra-point attempt failed as Giffrow threw an incomplete pass as the Trojans hold on to a 31-29 lead.
- The Trojans were forced to punt on the next drive as the Saints regained possession with 2:31 left in the game. PC moved the ball to the DSU's 45-yard line, but the Trojans' defensive unit made the stops.
- John Trout sacked Giffrow for a six-yard loss to PC's 49-yard line. Trout followed up with another 4-yard tackle-for-loss on Gifforw to PC's 45-yard line, resulting a third-down-and-20 for the Saints.
- Facing a fourth-down-and-11 situation on DSU's 46-yard line, Giffrow threw an incomplete pass to Riley Jensen as the Trojans regained their possession on DSU's 46-yard line with less than a minute to go in the game.
- PC outscored DSU 13-0 in the final fifteen minutes of the game.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Dakota State piled up 220 rushing yards in the game, paced by Frederiksen with 19 rushes for 78 yards with a touchdown. Devericks added 14 rushes for 49 yards. Furlong rushed seven times for 47 yards. Josh Giles recorded eight rushes for 31 yards.
- Devericks finished the game by completing six passes in nine attempts for 90 yards with two touchdown passes for DSU. He also had a four-yard touchdown reception with a pass from McDermott. Moore had four receptions for 66 yards and two touchdowns.
- Frederiksen, who leads the NAIA in all-purpose yards, finished the game with 264 all-purpose yards in the game for the Trojans.
- Janke and Feroni each tallied eight tackles for Dakota State's defense. Janke had a sack for four yards loss, two tackles-for-loss of six yards and a fumble recovery return for 13 yards. Trout and Marcus Vanden Bosch each had a quarterback sack. Guse and Braedon Wallenstein each collected six tackles.
- Feroni and Thomas each had an interception for the Trojans.
- The Trojans held the Saints to 74 rushing yards in the game. Giffrow ran 15 times for 41 yards. He also completed 26-of-33 for 261 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Jimenez had seven catches for 80 yards and a touchdown. Paulsen added four catches for 72 yards and a touchdown.
- Jacob Eddy led PC's defense with 10 tackles. Chase Mayo, Alex Karp and Gage Anderson each had nine tackles. Seery had two interceptions.
TEAM COMPARISONS
- Presentation recorded 335 total offensive yards in 62 plays. Dakota State registered 314 total offensive yards in 68 plays. The Saints had 261 passing yards compared to the Trojans 94 passing yards.
- The Trojans produced 21 first-downs in the game, while the Saints had 19 first-downs. DSU was 4-of-14 on third-down situations but converted all three fourth-down conversions. PC was 6-of-13 on third-down conversions and went 0-for-2 on fourth-downs.
FREDERIKSEN SCHOOL RECORDS
- Frederiksen finished his impressive collegiate career by becoming the school's all-time rushing yards leader with 3,487 yards. He broke over 40-year old school record held by Jeff Rodman with 3,339 rushing yards from 1973-76.
- Frederiksen also tied the school's single-season record with 15 rushing touchdowns with Rodman in 1976.
FAREWELL TO DSU TROJAN FOOTBALL SENIORS
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
