Minnesota Crookston football failed to score for the second time this season in a 27-0 loss to Northern State Wolves on NSU’s Senior Day in an NSIC match-up at Swisher Field in Aberdeen, South Dakota.
Northern State started with the football before their opening drive stalled at midfield. On fourth down and three, the Wolves Jake Wiedrich (Sr., Moorhead) punted the ball 28-yards to the UMC 15-yard line. Minnesota Crookston Jalin Scott (Jr., Houston, TX) lost three yards on a first down run and fumbled the handoff on the Golden Eagles’ second offensive play but was able to recover it himself. On 3rddown and 13, Scott dropped back to throw before stepping up in the pocket and lobbing it up down the Northern State sideline in the direction of Rod Stewart. As the ball hung in the air Northern State’s safety TJ Roberts (Jr., Pittsburg, CA) undercut the route and intercepted the football returning it to the Golden Eagles’ 35-yard line. “We thought we were interfered with and unfortunately we didn’t get the call,” said Minnesota Crookston head coach Mark Dufner.
Following the takeaway, the Wolves’ quarterback Hunter Trautman (Soph., St. Francis) delivered a screen pass to Zech Culbreath (Sr., Queen Creek, AZ) who turned upfield and fan for 23-yards down to the Minnesota Crookston 12-yard line. Two plays later, Trautman completed the drive with a 7-yard pass to the left corner of the end zone hitting a wide-open Spencer Johnson (Jr., Honolulu, HI) for a touchdown giving Northern State a 7-0 lead after the Jake Weidrich extra point with 9:57 left in the first quarter. “They ended up with the short field (after the interception) and they ended up with a score and getting the momentum right from the get-go,” said Dufner.
Minnesota Crookston was forced to punt following a three and out. Stephen Day’s (R-Sr., Eveleth) punt was kicked to the Northern State 35-yard line before Zech Culbreath returned it 10-yards to the NSU 45-yard line. On first down, Dakota Larson (Fr., Spring Creek, NV) took a handoff on a wide receiver sweep and ran down the UMC sideline for 27-yards to the UMC 28-yard line. Quarterback Hunter Trautman carried the ball for five yards on the next first down before completing a pass to Culbreath for 8-yards to the Minnesota Crookston 15-yard line. On the next play, Dakota Larson took another handoff and sprinted 15-yards inside the pylon past the goal line for a touchdown giving Northern State a 14-0 lead following the PAT with 5:09 left in the first quarter.
Minnesota Crookston started its next drive at their own 26-yard line with a 10-yard completion from Jalin Scott to Shonte Smith (Jr., Pacoima, CA) to the 36-yard line. Later in the drive facing 4thdown and six from the 40-yard line, Jalin Scott fired a pass down the sideline intended for Tristan Robbins (Fr., Muskegon, MI) who was interfered with drawing a penalty flag for fifteen yards and an automatic first down. Three plays later, facing third down and 11, Jalin Scott rifled a pass over the middle for Shonte Smith who was tripped prior to reaching the football leading to a second pass interference penalty of the drive moving the ball to the Northern State 31-yard line. After failing to convert on another third down, but not receiving another pass interference penalty to extend the drive, Minnesota Crookston settled for a 48-yard field goal attempt with a strong wind at the back of kicker Jared McLemore (Fr., Lucas, TX). McLemore’s kick was low and inside penetration by Northern State led to a blocked kick, keeping Minnesota Crookston scoreless as the Wolves took a 14-0 lead into the second quarter. “I think it was a combination of things,” explained Dufner, “they seemed to get a little penetration on the right side and I think the kick was a little bit low as well.”
With the Golden Eagles now playing into a strong wind, Minnesota Crookston failed to gain one yard on a drive they started at their own 6-yard line, Stephen Day punted the ball to the Minnesota Crookston 38-yard line, which Culbreath returned 18-yards to the Golden Eagles’ 20-yard line. Running back Gerald Maxwell (Soph., Brookings, SD) carried the ball for 14-yards on two carries to the UMC 9-yard line, but on the subsequent third down and goal, UMC linebacker Austin Steele (R-Fr., La Crosse, WI) rushed through the line of scrimmage and hit NSU quarterback Hunter Trautman back at the 17-yard line for a sack. The Wolves settled for a 33-yard field goal which Wiedrich made giving Northern State a 17-0 lead with 10:10 left in the first-half.
Minnesota Crookston’s next drive again ended with a punt before Northern State drove the ball inside the Minnesota Crookston 5-yard line, but the Golden Eagles defense again stiffened up in front of their own goal line forcing the Wolves to settle for another field goal, this one from 22-yards away to give Northern State a 20-0 lead at halftime. “The energy was good,” said Dufner. “We were sometimes playing a little bit too emotional, sometimes we just got a little too eager out there.”
Minnesota Crookston started the second half with the football driving to the Northern State 31-yard line before Jalin Scott was dropped for a sack on fourth down giving the Wolves possession at their own 40-yard line.
Both offenses struggled to move the football the rest of the third quarter keeping Northern State’s lead at 20-0 heading into the fourth quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Northern State drove the ball to the UMC 18-yard line but their 35-yard field goal was blocked by the Golden Eagles’ Skyler Quinn (R-Soph., Evansville).
UMC’s defense proceeded to make a few big plays the rest of the game with Will Cole making two interceptions late in the fourth quarter. “Will had a great game, probably the best game of his career so it was a nice way for him to go out in his final road game,” said Dufner.
In the closing minutes of the game, Northern State was able to add a late touchdown with 3:34 left when Hunter Trautman hit Boston Bauer (Soph., Sioux Falls, SD) for a 34-yard touchdown to close out the Wolves’ 27-0 win. “We had too many mistakes,” summarized Dufner. “We get third and short and pretty soon it’s third and six, we can’t get ourselves behind the sticks. With the scheme we’re running we have to stay on schedule. We’ve just got to give ourselves an opportunity going forward. We’ve got to keep improving.”
The Golden Eagles fall to 1-9 on the season wrap up their season next Saturday at Ed Widseth Field when UMC hosts the winless University of Mary kicking-off at 1 p.m. with the Riverview Health Pregame show beginning at 12:20 p.m. on KROX. Northern State improves to 4-6.
|
1st |
2nd | 3rd | 4th |
FINAL |
|
| UMC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Northern State | 14 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 27 |
1st Quarter
8:52 – NSU – Spencer Johnson 7 yard pass from Hunter Trautman (Jacob Wiedrich kick)
5:09 – NSU – Dakota Larson 15 yard run (Jacob Wiedrich kick)
2nd Quarter
10:10 – NSU – Jacob Wiedrich 33 yard field goal
4:25 – NSU – Jacob Wiedrich 22 yard field goal
3rd Quarter
No Scoring
4th Quarter
3:34 – NSU – Boston Bauer 34 yard pass from Hunter Trautman (Jacob Wiedrich kick)
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