Box Score
ABERDEEN, S.D. – The Northern State University Wolves took 18th-ranked Minnesota State University, Mankato to the brink on Saturday before the Mavericks managed to escape with a 21-14 win over the Wolves, spoiling NSU's home opener on an otherwise beautiful day at Clark Swisher Stadium.
The loss drops NSU to 0-2 on the young season and 0-1 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play. Both losses, however, have come on a combined 11 points and on late-game plays. The Mavericks moved to 2-0 overall and 1-0 with the conference-opening victory.
MSU, which needed a goal-line stand on a 2-point conversion to preserve last week's 7-6 win over Northern Michigan, switched sides of the ball on Saturday's winning play, using a 71-yard screen pass from Will Brogan to Adam Thielen on the first play from scrimmage to score the winning touchdown. The play came just 21 seconds after the Wolves had tied the game at 14-14 on a little 3-yard pass from Nick Wanner to a wide-open Mark Hanley in the back of the endzone.
The Mavericks then held off the Wolves on their final two drives of the game. Senior Thomas Parrott missed a 40-yard field goal attempt into a stiff northwest wind, then held strong on NSU's last chance, forcing a turnover on downs with 1:49 left on the clock. The Mavericks ground out one last first down, then ran out the clock to preserve the win.
After a scoreless first quarter, the Mavericks finally broke through to the endzone on a 45-yard pass from Brogan to Cody Rose. The ensuing Sam Brockshus PAT made it a 7-0 game with 9:02 left in the quarter.
NSU wasted little time in answering the call, needing just a 4-play, 2-minute, 14-second drive capped by a 47-Montrel Richardson scamper down the sideline to tie the game at 7-7.
There the score would remain until midway through the fourth quarter when the Mavericks again used the big play to set up their second score of the day. On the Mavericks' second drive of the quarter, Brogan completed four passes for 56 yards on an 8-play, 80-yard drive. Two of those passes went for 13 and 30 yards, while the fourth and final strike was a 7-yard TD ball to Thielen.
Again, however, the Wolves refused to be denied, taking the ensuing possession and marching downfield for their second score of the day. NSU used a 16-yard pass on 3rd-and-13 and a Maverick personal foul penalty to keep the drive going before Hanley capped the drive on the first play of the fourth quarter with his fourth career TD reception to make it a 14-14 game.
The Mavericks, however, immediately capitalized on the NSU defensive breakdown to score the winning touchdown.
Offsensively, Richardson carried the ball 21 times for 95 net yards, just missing his second straight 100-yard day. Wanner also completed 16 of 30 passes to seven different receivers for 122 yards and a TD. Senior John Michael Migdal caught six of those passes for 44 yards.
Defensively, sophomore Marquis Mulkey led the way with eight tackles, while junior
Matt Racowschi and sophomore Logan Fahnhorst added seven apiece.
For the Mavericks, Brogan was 10-for-24 passing for 207 yards and three TDs. Junior tailback Taylor Brookings had eight catches for 39 yards, while Echols had nine receptions for 28 yards and two scores. Senior linebacker Matt McQuiston racked up 11 tackles to lead the way defensively, including eight solo stops. Simon Cholometes had nine total tackles, while Chris Schaudt – who only had six total stops – was in on three tackles for losses totaling 18 yards.
NSU returns to the gridiron on Saturday to host Concordia University-St. Paul next week as part of the annual Gypsy Days celebration. Kick-off is set for 2:30 p.m. at Swisher Stadium.
