September 19, 2020

Photos credit by Karen Giles

ABERDEEN, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) opened the game with three 'Pick Six' (interception returns for touchdowns – two by Noah Guse and one by Riley Janke) as they shut down Presentation (S.D.) 42-0 in the North Star Athletic Association football conference action at Swisher Field.  It was the first shutout victory for the Trojans since Oct. 23, 2004 (62-0 home victory over Mayville State, N.D. at Trojan Field).

Dakota State earned its first win of the 2020-21 football season, improving to 1-1 overall record and 1-1 NSAA conference record.  DSU recorded their third straight road victory, dating back from last year's season (defeated Mayville State on Oct. 26, 2019 and Presentation on Nov. 9, 2019).  Presentation remained winless in two games (0-2, 0-2 NSAA).

The Trojans won their fifth straight meeting with the Saints, lifting their all-time series record to 8-2.  DSU also remained undefeated at Swisher Field with a 5-0 record since the series began in 2013.   Both teams will be meeting for the second North Star conference meeting one month later, Oct. 17 at Trojan Field in Madison, S.D.

FIRST QUARTER

• Both teams struggled offensively in the first 12 minutes of the game.  The Trojans recorded 43 total offensive yards and limited the Saints to 16 total offensive yards.
• With PC's driving starting 2:45 left on the clock in the first quarter, Noah Guse recorded a 'Pick Six' interception return for a touchdown, giving Trojans its' 6-0 lead with 2:04 on the clock.  Guse intercepted Michael McPeek's pass at PC's 31-yard line and returned it for a touchdown.  Caleb Nielsen followed up with the PAT extra-point kick to extend DSU's lead to 7-0.
• On the ensuing possession, the Saints were forced to punt on their own 25-yard line.  The Trojans committed a turnover on the punt return as PC recovered the ball on DSU's 41-yard line.
• After a pair of first downs for Presentation to DSU's 12-yard line, Riley Janke intercepted Hunter Giffrow's pass on DSU's 10-yard line and returned it for a 90-yard touchdown as the first quarter expired.  Nielsen hit a successful PAT extra-point to stretch DSU's lead to 14-0.
• Janke's 90-yard interception return for a touchdown was the longest since Brian Melvin's 100-yard interception return for touchdown in 2003 versus Minot State (N.D.).

SECOND QUARTER

• Ten seconds into the second quarter, Guse collected his second 'Pick Six' in the early second quarter, returning a 33-yard interception return for touchdown to widen DSU's lead to 20-0.  Nielsen made it 21-0 after a successful PAT extra-point kick.
• Presentation committed their fourth turnover of the game, fumbling the ball on the kick-off return on PC's 12-yard line.  Wyatt Sanford forced the fumbled and recovered the ball for the Trojans.
• Dakota State was unable to convert their scoring chances from PC's turnover as they committed a turnover on PC's 2-yard line on a fourth-and-goal situation with 11:02 on the clock.  The Saints recovered the ball on PC's 23-yard-line by Zavier Benson.
• The Saints suffered its fifth turnover of the game toward near the end of the second quarter.  PC's Kevin Wright was sacked and fumbled the ball, which was forced by Mahdi Benalshaikh.  Wyatt Sanford recovered the ball on PC's 25-yard line with a minute remaining before halftime.
• Torren Devericks threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Josh Giles on the next play after PC's fumble with 55 seconds left.  Nielsen added the PAT extra-point kick as the Trojans stretched its lead to 28-0.
• Presentation attempted to get points on the scoreboard before the first half expired was failed.  Luiz Ferreria's 53-yard field goal attempt was missed as the Trojans hold on to a 28-0 lead by halftime.

THIRD QUARTER

• Both teams were unable to move the ball into the opponents' territory until the Saints did during the mid-third quarter.  After a 32-yard rush by PC's Innocent Okoh from DSU's 49-yard line to DSU's 17-yard line, the Saints recorded its sixth turnover of the game. 
• Saint Ta'Mario Tufts fumbled the ball, which was forced by Trojan Jordan Thomas and was recovered by Gustavo Bonilla on DSU's 17-yard line with 8:10 to go in the third.
• After a 57-yard punt by Nielsen from DSU's 40-yard line to PC's 3-yard line, the Trojans' defense limited the Saints to one yard on the following drive and was forced to punt.  Ferreria's punt was blocked by DSU's Jeb Sanford and went out-of-bounds, giving Trojans its' starting drive on the PC's 2-yard line with 1:39 left in the third quarter.
• On the next play, Devericks connected to Jacob Hirsch for a 1-yard touchdown pass with 1:34 on the clock.  Nielsen made the PAT extra-point kick to extend Trojans' lead to 35-0.

FOURTH QUARTER

• Dakota State added a touchdown with less than 10 minutes left in the game.  The Trojans used six plays for 55 yards in 3:20 as Devericks threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Hirsch with 9:02 remaining.  The highlight in the final scoring drive of the game was a 30-yard pass from Devericks to Adeon Patterson from the 50-yard line to PC's 20-yard line.
• Nielsen added the PAT extra-point kick as Dakota State's lead grew to 42-0.
• The Trojans' defense held the Saints to just seven total offensive yards in the final 15 minutes of the game.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Devericks finished the game by going 10-of-22 with 97 yards and two touchdown passes for Dakota State.  He also rushed 17 times for 10 yards.  Hirsch caught two touchdown passes.  Patterson had a reception for 30 yards.  Giles added a reception for 25 yards.  Cole Sylliassen had two catches for 15 yards.  Parker Goblirsch had a 13-yard reception. 
• Jose Sanchez rushed seven times for 30 yards for the Trojans.  Jalen Stewart added a 20-yard rush.  Branson Taylor ran five times for 10 yards.
• DSU's Guse had two interceptions and returned it for a total of 64 yards, both interceptions returned for touchdowns.  Janke added an interception return for 90 yards. 
• Cole McCarty led the Trojans' defense with seven tackles.  Bonilla added six tackles.  Thomas, Edward Fritzler, Nico Feroni and Marcus Vanden Bosch each tallied four tackles. 
• The Saints quarterbacks combined for six completed passes in 23 attempts with three interceptions.  Innocent Okoh had an 18-yard reception.  Marshal Chace had two catches for 15 yards.
• Okoh rushed 12 times for 60 yards for Presentation.  Keagan Meyer had four rushes for 11 yards.
• Ben Boyko recorded six tackles and a quarterback sack loss of 14 yards for PC.  Jerod Boswell added two sacks.  Sam Motzkus and Alex Karp each had a sack.  Karp collected five tackles.

TEAM COMPARISONS

• A total of 17 first downs were recorded in the game, 10 first downs by Dakota State and seven first downs by Presentation.
• The Trojans outgained the Saints 181-137 in total offensive yards.  DSU registered 105 passing yards compared to PC's 35 passing yards.  The Saints rushed 102 yards in 37 attempts, while the Trojans rushed 41 times for 76 yards.
• Presentation committed three interceptions and three fumbles lost in the game.  Dakota State had two fumbles lost.
• The Saints recorded 11 punts and averaged 29 yards per punt.  The Trojans registered nine punts for 45 yards average per punt.

UP NEXT

Dakota State remains on the road next Saturday for another North Star Athletic Association conference action.  The Trojans visit Mayville State (N.D.) at Jerome Berg Field in Mayville, N.D.  Kick-off is set for 2:30 p.m.

Presentation heads on the road for the first time this season, visiting Waldorf (Iowa) next Saturday in NSAA conference action.  Kick-off from the Bolstorff Field in Forest City, Iowa is set for 1 p.m.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director