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Dakota State University

Scoreboard

42
Winner Wisconsin-LaCrosse UWL 1-0
21
Dakota State DSU 1-1
Winner
Wisconsin-LaCrosse UWL
1-0
42
Final
21
Dakota State DSU
1-1
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
UWL Wisconsin-LaCrosse 7 14 14 7 42
DSU Dakota State 0 0 7 14 21

Game Recap: Football |

Wisconsin-La Crosse spoils Trojans home football opener

September 4, 2021

Photos credits by Karen Giles, Mike Black, and Ketia Hanson

MADISON, S.D. – NCAA Division III Wisconsin-La Crosse racked up the first 28 points through the early third quarter Saturday, handing Dakota State (S.D.) its first football setback of the season at Trojan Field.  The Eagles won their season opener by the score of 42-21.

DSU fell to 1-1 overall record.  The Trojans kicked off their month long three-game home stand at Trojan Field.  It was the first-ever series meeting for both teams.

Saturday's game was the Game Day sponsor by Mills Property Management, Inc. and local youth baseball and softball appreciation day.

FIRST QUARTER

  • Dakota State was forced to punt on the opening drive of the game.
  • Wisconsin-La Crosse kicked off their drive on their own 30-yard line and used 13 plays for 70 yards for the first score of the game, highlighted by a 18-yard rush by Joey Stutzman on their first play of the drive.
  • Jakob Parks connected to Cameron Sorenson for a 6-yard touchdown reception with seven minutes and fifty-nine seconds on the clock.  Ryan Beirne followed up with the PAT extra-point kick to make it 7-0.

SECOND QUARTER

  • Dakota State was unable to get on the scoreboard early in the second quarter, despite recording seven plays for 40 yards in 2:09.  The highlight of the drive was a 37-yard reception by Dajshon Keel from DSU's 25-yard line to UWL's 38-yard line.
  • Caleb Nielsen missed a 53-yard field goal with 11:57 to go in the second quarter.
  • The Eagles answered on the ensuring drive with 9 plays for 64 yards in 3:45.  Stutzman rushed for 10-yard touchdown followed by a successful PAT extra-point kick by Berine to put Wisconsin-La Crosse up 14-0 with 8:12 left before halftime.
  • DSU committed a turnover near the end of the first half as UWL's Austin Larson caught an interception on UWL's 47-yard line.  He returned it for 11 yards to DSU's 42-yard line with less than a minute to go.
  • Wisconsin-La Crosse made it 21-0 as Cade Garcia threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to Jake Simuncak followed by Beirne's PAT extra-point kick with 26 seconds left before halftime.
  • The first half ended with a 24-yard reception by Keel on UWL's 18-yard line.

THIRD QUARTER

  • The Eagles kicked off the third quarter with their fourth scoring drive of the game.  UWL recorded nine plays for 75 yards in 3:11 as Parks connected to Sorenson for the second touchdown together.  Parks threw a 4-yard pass to Sorenson, followed by Beirne's PAT extra-point kick as UWL widen their lead to 28-0 with 11:49 on the clock.
  • Dakota State snapped their scoring drought on the following possession.  Facing a third-and-18 situation on DSU's 17-yard line, Cole Siegfried caught a reception with one hand and ran for an 83-yard touchdown reception with 10:34 to go.  Nielsen's PAT extra-point kick was good as the Trojans trailed 28-7.
  • Parks threw a touchdown pass to Sorenson for the third time in the game, this time a 6-yard touchdown reception for Sorenson.  Beirne added the PAT extra-point kick to extend Eagles' lead to 35-7 with 3:06 left in the third quarter.

FOURTH QUARTER

  • Wisconsin-La Crosse took advantage of Dakota State's turns on down late in third quarter.  The Eagles started the fourth quarter with a touchdown with 13 minutes left in the game.  Garcia connected to Jack Studer for a 5-yard touchdown reception.  Beirne hit a successful PAT extra-point kick as UWL led 42-7.
  • Darius Richards intercepted UWL's Garcia pass and recorded a pick six interception return for touchdown of 28 yards.  Nielsen followed up with a PAT extra-point kick as the Trojans trimmed the Eagles' lead to 42-14 with 11:32 remaining.
  • The final scoring drive of the game came late in the fourth quarter.  The Trojans registered 12 plays for 80 yards in 4:53, highlighted by a 21-yard reception by Jalen Stewart to UWL's 2-yard line.
  • Jack Anderson rushed for a 1-yard touchdown with 2:18 to go in the game.  Nielsen's PAT extra-point kick was good as the Trojans trailed 42-21.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

  • Brooks was 15-of-37 for a career-high 247 yards with a touchdown and an interception for Dakota State.  Keel had four catches for 95 yards.  Siegfried added two receptions for 91 yards and a touchdown.  Steward had a 21-yard reception.
  • Anderson had 19 rushing yards and a touchdown for DSU. 
  • Gustavo Bonilla led the Trojans' defense with 12 tackles.  Marcus Vanden Bosch added 11 tackles, two tackles-for-loss, and a sack.  Devonte Murphy tallied 11 tackles.  Mahdi Benalshaikh had nine tackles.  Conner Tordsen recorded eight tackles.  Bonilla and Tordsen each had a half quarterback sack.
  • Noah Guse and Nico Feroni each registered two pass break-ups for Dakota State.  Richards had an interception return for a touchdown of 28 yards.
  • Parks was 18-of-28 for 178 yards with three touchdowns for Wisconsin-La Crosse.  Garcia added 5-of-7 for 47 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.
  • Stutzman rushed 20 times for 117 yards with a touchdown for the Eagles.  Brad Tobin added six rushes for 37 yards.
  • Simuncak caught 10 passes for 119 yards and a touchdown for UWL.  Studer added five catches for 49 yards and a touchdown.  Sorenson had five receptions for 34 yards and caught three touchdown passes.
  • Ryan Daines led UWL's defense with seven tackles and a quarterback sack.  He also had 4.5 tackles-for-loss and a pass break-up.  Rusty Murphy added five tackles and an interception return of 11 yards.
  • Cory Kaiser, Ja. Anderson and AJ Spychala each had a sack. 

TEAM COMPARISONS

  • Wisconsin-La Crosse piled up 411 total offensive yards.  Dakota State had 256 offensive yards.  The Eagles rushed for 186 yards and limited the Trojans to nine rushing yards.
  • DSU threw for 247 yards.  UWL recorded 225 passing yards.
  • Wisconsin-La Crosse racked up 26 first-downs in the game compared to Dakota State 17 first downs.
  • The Eagles converted 9-of-15 on third downs (60 percent), while the Trojans were 8-of-17 on third downs (47 percent).
  • UWL maintained the possession for 32 minutes and 50 seconds.  DSU had a time of possession for 27 minutes and 10 seconds.

UP NEXT

Dakota State takes a week off before returning to action on Saturday, Sept. 18 as they begin their eight-game North Star Athletic Association schedule.  The Trojans host Presentation (S.D.) in the sixth annual Ag Bowl contest.  Kick-off is set for 6 p.m. at Trojan Field.

Youth Baseball & Softball Appreciation Day
Prostrollo Kick for Cash
contestants

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information DIrector

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