August 25, 2022
PHOTO GALLERY - Photos credit by Cody Welu, Mike Black, Tom Jones
MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) continued its football dominance with rival Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.), staying undefeated with their annual Chamber of Commerce traveling trophy (5-0 record) with a 29-19 victory at Trojan Field. The Trojans also won their fifth straight home contest Thursday evening, dating back to last season after going undefeated at home in North Star Athletic Association play (4-0 record in 2021).
It was the sixth straight meeting victory for DSU over DWU, the longest winning streak since 1977-84 where the Trojans defeated the Tigers for eight straight meetings.
The annual rivalry football game was televised live on Midco Sports for the fifth straight meeting, kicking off the college football season. It was also the seventh annual Ag Bowl game, an event of DSU Athletics in a way of saying thank you to all the local agriculture businesses.
Thursday's contest also kicked off the final year of playing at the Trojan Field before moving to the new field next season. Prior to the game, Dakota State announced its soy-based synthetic turf in their two new stadiums and partnered with the South Dakota Ag producers as they build the new athletic complex.
FIRST QUARTER
Dakota State opened the game as Zach Brooks fired a 73-yard touchdown pass to Tyce Ortman for a 6-0 lead. Noah Karwacki's PAT extra-point kick was good to give the Trojans a 7-0 lead with 14 minutes, 40 seconds on the clock.- Both teams were unable to score for the rest of the quarter until DSU reached near the red zone by the end of the quarter. Ortman highlighted the drive with an 18-yard rush from DSU's 45-yard line to DWU's 37-yard line.
- Dakota State converted a third-down situation when the quarter ended as Cole Sylliaasen caught a 10-yard pass from Brooks from DWU's 32-yard line to DWU's 22-yard line.
SECOND QUARTER
- DSU kicked off the second quarter as Brooks connected a 22-yard touchdown pass to Austin Lake with 14:53 on the clock. Karwacki added a successful PAT extra-point kick as the Trojans extended their lead to 14-0.
Dakota State made a pivotal defense stop on the ensuing drive, despite DWU recording 10 plays for 76 yards in 5:06. Austin Lee threw a 37-yard pass to Kiel Nelson from DWU's 43-yard line to DSU's 20-yard line.- After recording a first-and-goal on DSU's 6-yard line, the Tigers failed to convert their scoring chances as the Trojans' defense halted on DSU's 1-yard line. DWU's Jamin Arend was unable to score as they turned the ball on downs on DSU's 1-yard line with 9:47 to go in the first half.
- Dakota State followed up with a monstrous 21 plays for 84 yards, chewing up almost the remaining of the first half. Facing a third-and-six situation on DWU's 15-yard line, Brooks' pass was intercepted in the end zone by Carson Gohl as the Tigers regained possession with 19 seconds to go.
- The Trojans held a 14-0 lead as DWU's drive ended on DSU's 37-yard line.
THIRD QUARTER
Dakota Wesleyan snapped its scoring drought as they kicked off the third quarter with seven plays for 55 yards, capped with a 10-yard touchdown run by Arend. Jaxon Patrick's PAT extra point was no good as DSU held on to a 14-6 lead with 11:12 on the clock.- Both teams struggled offensively throughout the third quarter until the Tigers marched down to DSU's red zone.
- DWU's drive started with 1:24 left in the third quarter, opening with a 21-yard pass from Austin Lee to Dexter Curry to DSU's 37-yard line.
- Dakota State led 14-6 by the end of the third period. DWU held DSU to 12 offensive yards in the third.
FOURTH QUARTER
- Dakota Wesleyan trimmed DSU's lead to 14-12 as Lee threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Nelson with 12:25 remaining. They could not convert their 2-point PAT attempt try as Lee's pass was incomplete.
- Tamareon Foster returned a 93-yard kick-off return for a touchdown as the Trojans snapped their scoring drought. Karwacki's PAT extra-point kick was blocked as DSU extended their lead to 20-12 with 12:03 left.
- The Tigers were forced to punt on the next possession. DWU failed a punt attempt as they lost 27 yards, where DSU regained possession on DWU's 1-yard line with 10:17 on the clock.
Ortman answered with a 1-yard touchdown run with 10:14 left. Karwacki hit a successful PAT extra-point kick as DSU gained their biggest lead of the game at 27-12.- Dakota Wesleyan answered with 8 plays for 89 yards in 3:31 on the ensuing possession. Nelson rushed for a 4-yard touchdown with 6:33 left. Patrick added the PAT extra-point kick as the Tigers trailed 27-19.
- After DSU was forced to punt on the next drive, Dakota Wesleyan committed another miscue on their own 14-yard line. A bad snap by the Tigers resulted in a safety, extending DSU's lead to 29-19 with 4:40 to go.
- Dakota State made another big defensive stop as Cody Brown intercepted Lee's pass at DSU's 8-yard line with 1:08 remaining. The Tigers used seven plays for 33 yards in 1:28 before the interception. It was Brown's first career interception.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Ortman paced the Trojans' offense attack with 18 rushes for 63 yards and a touchdown. He added a 73-yard touchdown reception.- Brooks completed 12 passes in 21 attempts for 197 yards with two touchdowns and an interception for DSU. He also rushed 16 times for 27 yards.
- Cooper McDermott had two catches for 31 yards for Dakota State. Dajshon Keel added three receptions for 28 yards. Lake had a 22-yard touchdown reception. Sylliaasen had a 10-yard reception. Travis Rebstock, Michael Hybertson, and Derick Siemonsma each had a catch.
- Karwacki had five kick-offs for 301 yards (60.2 yards per kick-off) and converted 3-of-4 extra-point kicks for DSU. He also had six punts for 189 yards (31.5 yards per punt).
- Foster finished the game with four kick-off returns for 157 total yards, including a 93-yard kick-off return for touchdown for DSU.
- Jeremiah 'JJ' Beck led the Trojans' defense with 11 tackles. Gustavo Bonilla added seven tackles and two tackles-for-loss of 28 yards. Max Sonne also had seven tackles. Blake Duran tallied six tackles. Jay Skogerboe, Darius Richards, Devonte Murphy, and Brown each had five tackles.
- Lee was 24-of-35 for 278 yards with a touchdown and an interception for the Tigers. Arend rushed 24 times for 105 yards and a touchdown. He had four catches for 53 yards.
- Nelson caught 12 passes for 121 yards with a touchdown for DWU.
- Max Schoenfelder led Dakota Wesleyan with seven tackles. Jesus Herrera, Landon Ruesink, and Ethan Engen each tallied six tackles.
TEAM COMPARISONS
- Dakota Wesleyan gained 354 total offensive yards compared to Dakota State 287 total offensive yards. The Tigers recorded 278 passing yards compared to the Trojans 197 passing yards. DSU outrushed DWU 90-76.
- The Tigers collected 25 first downs, while the Trojans recorded 14 first downs.
- Dakota State converted 7-of-15 third down situation (7-of-9 on third-down situations in the first thirty minutes of the game). DWU was 4-of-11 third downs.
UP NEXT
Dakota State heads on the road next Saturday as they face NCAA Division III Wisconsin-La Crosse. Kick-off is set for 4 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Field Sports Complex.
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
