September 14, 2024

Photos credits by DSU Sports Information Media Team, Cody Welu, Tom Jones, Mike Black, Michael Brown

MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) won the defensive battle with Jamestown (N.D.) Saturday afternoon, earning a 16-6 North Star Athletic Association season opening victory at Brian Kern Family Stadium on Blankley Field.  The Trojans scored all their points from the defensive unit in the game.

Dakota State (1-0 record in the North Star conference) won their third straight game, starting the season at 3-0 overall record for the first time since the 1993 season.  It was the first time since the 2022 season that the Trojans had won three straight games.

DSU is 2-0 record at home at the new Brian Kern Family Stadium on Blankley Field at Beacom PREMIER Complex.  The Trojans earned their third homecoming game victory in the past four seasons.

Jamestown fell to 0-3 overall record and 0-1 NSAA conference record.  The Jimmies dropped their first two games of the season against members of NCAA Division II schools (Mary, N.D. and Chadron State, Neb.).

It was the first time since Sept. 30, 2017, that both DSU and Jamestown met.  The Jimmies return to the North Star conference for the final year this season before moving to the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) next year (Dakota State will move to the NAIA's Frontier Conference next season).

The Trojans earned their fourth straight victory in the series meeting with the Jimmies, and their sixth win in the last seven meetings.  Both teams will play their second NSAA conference meet in mid-October in Jamestown, N.D.

FIRST QUARTER
Both teams went three-and-out on their first possession of the game.

After Jamestown's punt to DSU's 40-yard line, the Trojans marched down on the field with 11 plays for 41 yards in almost five minutes.  Highlights of the drive included a pair of 16-yard passes from Tray Hettick to Austin Lake and JerQon Conners.

DSU was not able to earn the first lead of the game as Carson Sauseda's 36-yard field goal attempt was missed with six minutes and twelve seconds left in the first quarter.

UJ went on to record six plays for 51 yards in 2:19 on the ensuing possession.  The Trojans' defense halted the Jimmies on the fourth-and-two situation on DSU's 29-yard line.  Jamestown turned the ball on downs as Dakota State regained their possession with 3:53 remaining in the first.

DSU's Tyce Ortman recorded a 53-yard punt to UJ's 20-yard line on the next possession.  With UJ's ball on their own 31-yard line, Nick Martinez fumbled the ball and was recovered by Trojan Kaden Eng on UJ's 10-yard line and returned it for a touchdown with 12 seconds left in the first quarter.

Sauseda followed up with a successful PAT extra point kick to give DSU a 7-0 lead.

SECOND QUARTER
Jamestown committed a turnover in the early second quarter.  Johnny Grann threw a completed pass to Gage Solano for 18 yards from UJ's 30-yard line to 48-yard line and fumbled the ball.  DSU's Deveon Moses recovered the ball on DSU's 48-yard line with 14:08 on the clock.

DSU was unable to convert their scoring chances on the next possession, turning the ball on downs with one yard shy on UJ's 33-yard line with 10:33 left in the second quarter.

Jamestown was forced to punt as the Trojans retained possession with 9:24 remaining before halftime.

DSU recorded 12 plays for 42 yards in 7 minutes, 29 seconds on the ensuing possession and was forced to punt with less than two minutes to go.

Jamestown quickly registered 10 plays for 58 yards in 1:29 on the next possession.  The Jimmies committed another turnover as DSU's Moses intercepted Grann's pass in the end zone.

Dakota State led 7-0 by halftime.

THIRD QUARTER
Both Dakota State and Jamestown could not score in the third quarter.  Highlights came in the third quarter as the Trojans' defense made a stop at the goal line, preventing the Jimmies to score.

After the Trojans turned the ball on downs on UJ's 33-yard line with 9:35 remaining in the third, the Jimmies recorded 15 plays for 66 yards in 7:42 on the ensuing possession.

With first-and-goal on UJ's after DSU's penalty, Colton Schneider rushed for eight yards to DSU's 1-yard line.  The Trojans made three straight stops at the DSU's 1-yard line, as Gavin Blomdahl and Schneider each gained no yard.  Grann then threw an incomplete pass to Ethan Hoffman to turn the ball on downs on DSU's 1-yard line with 1:53 remaining in the third quarter.

DSU's Ortman recorded the game-long 57-yard punt by the end of the quarter as UJ maintained possession at the 40-yard line.

Dakota Stated led 7-0 after three quarters.

FOURTH QUARTER
Dakota State committed a turnover in the early fourth quarter.  Joseph Cole threw an interception as UJ's Tanner Chaffee returned the interception for 30 yards to DSU's 7-yard line with 13:29 remaining.

Grann threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Hoffman as the Jimmies snapped their scoring drought with 11:50 left (DSU led 7-6).

UJ's Aanon Peterson's PAT extra-point kick was blocked by Caleb Dwyer as Eng returned for defensive PAT extra point of 97 yards, extending the Trojans' lead to 9-6.

Both teams traded punts throughout the fourth quarter until the Trojans earned another defensive touchdown.  With Jamestown's ball on their own 38-yard line with 3:12 remaining, Moses intercepted Grann's pass at the DSU's 40-yard line and returned it for a 'pick six' 60 yards touchdown with 2:50 left.

Sauseda's PAT extra point kick was good as the Trojans ballooned their lead to 16-6.

The Jimmies failed to convert their scoring opportunity as they turned the ball on down with three seconds left in the game on DSU's 2-yard line.

TEAM LEADERS
Tray Hettick was 3-of-6 for 38 yards and was pulled out of the game due to an injury for Dakota State.  Joseph Cole was 5-of-12 with 30 yards.  Conners and Lake each had two receptions for 27 yards. 

Ortman ran 25 times for 84 yards for the Trojans.  He also had eight punts for 276 yards (34.5 yards per punt), with two punts hitting more than 50 yards.  Preston Iverson added seven rushes for 22 yards.

Collin Brueggeman paced DSU's defense with 12 tackles.  Eng added six tackles, a fumble recovery return for 10 yards touchdown, and scored a 2-point PAT blocked return for score.  Gabriel Chambliss and Taron Serr each tallied five tackles.  Moses had two interceptions for 60 yards total return, including a 'pick six'.  Dwyer had four tackles, a half quarterback sack and a blocked PAT extra point kick.  Brooks Jansen had 1.5 tackles-for-loss of four yards.

Grann was 23-of-49 for 230 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions for Jamestown.  He also had nine rushes for 19 yards.  Dawson Schmidt had four receptions for 56 yards.  Isaiah Roebuck recorded three catches for 41 yards, while Erastus Antsino added three catches for 37 yards.  Hoffman had four catches for 29 yards and a touchdown.

Schneider had seven rushes for 20 yards for UJ.

Jed Rantz led the Jimmies' defense with 15 tackles.  Ezra Belingheri added eight tackles and a quarterback sack.  Zach Mueller and Trayten Johnson each also had a sack. 

Brooks Butt registered seven punts for 266 total yards (38.0 yards average per punt).  Three of his punts landed inside the 20-yard line.

TEAM COMPARISONS
Jamestown outgained Dakota State 257-182 in total offensive yards.  The Jimmies threw 230 yards to the Trojans 68 yards.  DSU rushed for 114 yards in 45 attempts.  UJ was held to 27 yards rushing in 23 attempts, holding to just one yard rush in the first thirty minutes of the game.

Jamestown registered 14 first downs in the game, while Dakota State had 10 first downs. 

DSU maintained ball control for 34 minutes and six seconds.  UJ had the ball for 25 minutes, 54 seconds. 

The Trojans converted 6-of-17 on third down situations.  The Jimmies were 4-of-18 on third downs. 

Jamestown was 1-for-4 on red zone chances compared to Dakota State 0-for-1. 

DSU SENIORS
Dakota State honored their 12 seniors prior to the game.  They are Tyce Ortman, Blake Duran, Austin Lake, Jay Skogerboe, JerQon Conners, Chris Guipi-Bopala, Cooper Vincent, Joseph Taylor, Collin Brueggeman, Joey Hoeschen, Nathan Cook and Braxton Lacher.

UP NEXT
Dakota State heads on the road next Saturday, visiting Valley City State (N.D.) in the North Star conference action.  Kick-off from the Shelly Ellig at Lokken Stadium is set for 4 p.m. in Valley City, N.D.