October 10, 2020
Photos credit by Karen Giles
DICKINSON, N.D. – Dickinson State (N.D.) won the battle of top two defensive teams in the North Star Athletic Association football conference, pulling away past Dakota State (S.D.) 23-3 Saturday afternoon at Biesiot Activities Center. The Blue Hawks - five-time defending league champion - swept both NSAA conference meetings this season, which both teams met earlier last month for the season opener at Trojan Field.
Dakota State fell to 1-3 overall/NSAA conference record. Dickinson State remained undefeated in North Star conference play with 5-0 overall/NSAA record.
FIRST QUARTER
- After Dakota State went three-and-out to kick off the game, Dickinson State grabbed its first lead of the game on the ensuing possession. The Blue Hawks recorded three straight 10-plus yards plays, highlighted by 24-yard pass from Drew Boedecker to Tyger Frye and a 20-yard rush by Alec Lovegren.
- Frye produced another first-down for DiSU with an 11-yard rush to DaSU's 11-yard line. The Trojans prevented the Blue Hawks from scoring a touchdown.
- DiSU had to settle down for a 27-yard field goal by Jeremiah Paine to earn a 3-0 lead with less than nine minutes to go in the first quarter.
- The Blue Hawks ended the first period with a 38-yard pass from Boedecker to Lovegren, placing the ball on DaSU's 7-yard line.
SECOND QUARTER
- The Blue Hawks scored a touchdown to kick off the second quarter, thanks to a 7-yard touchdown pass from Boedecker to Frye with 14:17 on the clock. Paine followed up with a successful PAT extra-point kick to extend DiSU's lead to 10-0.
- After Dakota State was forced to punt on the next drive, Dickinson State used 17 plays for nearly eight minutes to stretch their lead. The Blue Hawks recorded five first-downs in the scoring drive, where they had to settle for a 28-yard field goal by Paine for a 13-0 lead with 4:25 to go in the second.
- The Trojans marched the ball down to the Blue Hawks' end zone. The Trojans registered 13 plays for 58 yards to the DiSU's 6-yard line, highlighted by a pair of receptions by Dajshon Keel from Torren Devericks (14- and 19-yards).
- DaSU failed to convert their scoring chance as they turned the ball on downs on DiSU's 6-yard line with no time left in the first half.
Dickinson State held a 13-0 halftime lead.
THIRD QUARTER
- Both Dakota State and Dickinson State struggled to move the ball in the third quarter. The Trojans were unable to end their scoring drought after Caleb Nielsen's 55-yard field goal attempt missed wide left with 11:07 on the clock.
- Nielsen broke a DSU school record for the longest punt in a game, recording an 82-yard punt from DaSU's 18-yard line for a touchback. The previous longest punt was set by Josh Licht with a 79-yard punt at South Dakota Mines on Oct. 26, 2013.
- After a poor punt by the Blue Hawks, a 22-yard punt by Paine from DiSU's 8-yard line to DiSU's 30-yard line, the Trojans ended the scoring drought.
- Nielsen made his first career field goal, hitting a 40-yard field goal as the Trojans cut DiSU's lead to 13-3 with 1:36 to go in the third.
FOURTH QUARTER
- Paine hit his third field goal of the game, making a 37-yard field goal to start the fourth quarter. Dickinson State's lead grew to 16-3 with 13:36 remaining in the game.
- Dakota State produced three first-downs on the ensuing possession, highlighted by a 15-yard rush by Devericks, 10-yard reception by Jacob Hirsch and an eight-yard catch by Keel.
- Facing fourth-and-10 situation on DiSU's 32-yard line, the Trojans committed an interception in the end zone and turned the ball to the Blue Hawks with 11:05 left.
- DaSU regained the possession after Jason Sakamoto intercepted DiSU Boedecker's pass at the 50-yard line with 10:43 to go.
- Devericks threw an 11-yard pass to Keel for a first down on DiSU's 37-yard line on the next play for the Trojans. Devericks added a 24-yard pass to Cooper McDermott to DiSU's 11-yard line for another first-down.
The Blue Hawks' defense halted the Trojans from scoring in the red zone, turning the ball on downs on DiSU's 7-yard line with 9:29 remaining.- Dickinson State was forced to punt on the next possession but regained the ball after Dakota State committed a turnover on DaSU 15-yard line with 7:07 to go.
- The Blue Hawks took advantage to score a touchdown few plays later. Derek Tabor rushed for a 2-yard touchdown, followed by Paine's PAT extra-point kick for a 23-3 lead with 5:31 remaining.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Devericks was 21-of-45 for 157 yards for Dakota State. He rushed 14 times for 37 yards. Keel had eight receptions for 79 yards. Hirsch added seven catches for 41 yards. McDermott had three receptions for 28 yards.
- Branson Taylor ran five times for 28 yards for DaSU.
- Nielsen recorded six punts in the game for 288 total yards for the Trojans. He averaged 48.0 yards per punt, including an 82-yard punt. He also had a field goal in the game.
- Marcus Vanden Bosch paced DaSU's defense with 12 tackles, a quarterback sack and two tackles-for-loss of 12 yards. Devonte Murphy added nine tackles, a sack and a tackle-for-loss of seven yards. Gustavo Bonilla and Cole McCarty each tallied seven tackles.
- Braedon Wallenstein had six tackles, a quarterback sack and two tackles-for-loss of two yards. Sakamoto had an interception.
- DiSU Boedecker finished the game by going 19-of-29 with 204 yards and a touchdown. Jaret Lee had six receptions for 98 yards. Conor McCarvel added five receptions for 27 yards. Frye had four catches for 53 yards and a touchdown. Lovegren had three catches for 44 yards. He rushed six times for 33 yards.
- Riley Linder rushed 17 times for 47 yards for the Blue Hawks. Tabor had eight rushes for 23 yards and a touchdown.
- Dickinson State's Paine was 3-of-3 on field goals and recorded eight punts for 294 yards. His three punts went inside the 20-yard line.
- Reece Hoherz led the Blue Hawks with nine tackles. Nick Miller added eight tackles. Presley Piliati tallied seven tackles and a quarterback sack. Dawson McGlothlin caught two interceptions.
TEAM COMPARISONS
- Dickinson State recorded 352 total offensive yards compared to Dakota State 236 total offensive yards. The Blue Hawks had 116 rushing yards compared to the Trojans 79 rushing yards. DiSU had 236 passing yards to DaSU 157 passing yards.
- The Blue Hawks had 16 first downs compared to the Trojans 14 first downs. DiSU was 5-of-15 on third-downs situations. DaSU converted 1-of-17 on third-down plays. The Trojans were 3-of-7 on fourth downs.
UP NEXT
Dakota State returns home next Saturday to kick off their three-game North Star Athletic Association conference home stand. The Trojans host Presentation (S.D.) at Trojan Field. Kick-off is set for 3 p.m. in Madison, S.D.
Dickinson State (N.D.) travels to Mayville State (N.D.) for another NSAA contest. The game is set for 2 p.m. at Jerome Berg Field in Mayville, N.D.
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
