Minot, N.D. – The Northern State University football team came away with the first victory of the season, opening NSIC North play versus Minot State. The Wolves improve to 1-4 overall after the 45-14 win. Minot State dropped to 0-5 in league play.
The Wolves fell behind earlier in the first quarter after a muffed kick return, however quickly answered back and took control of the game. After a four game injury,
Nathan Shaw entered for his first field goal of the season on the Wolves first drive of the game. Shaw connected for a good 32 yard attempt, and the Wolves cut the Beaver lead to four.
Scoring continued for NSU in the second quarter, off the feet of NSU tailback
Nicholas Truen. Truen's 13 yard rush to the end zone put the Wolves on top of the Beavers, 10-7, with six minutes to play in the half. The two team's traded downs late in the second quarter, and it was Northern's ball with under a minute to play in the half. With ten seconds left in the half,
Kyle Lavand connected with
Tyrell Anderson for the pair's second touchdown of the season. The 23 yard reception widen the spread and the Wolves headed to the locker room up, 17-7.
On their first possession of the second half, junior quarterback
Christian McAlvain rushed 13 yards to his first touchdown of 2015. Lavand and
Conner Doherty added to the NSU lead in the third with a four yard completion for the Wolves fourth touchdown of the game. After the
Nathan Shaw PAT, the Wolves were up 31-7.
The Beaver defense answered back with a forced fumble and touchdown in the fourth to cut the NSU lead, however Northern answered back just one play later.
Channing Barber returned the Beaver kick-off 90 yards for his first touchdown of the season. Barber and the Wolves lengthened the NSU lead, 38-14, with six minutes to play in the half.
Just three plays into the Minot State drive, senior
Brendon Hoellein intercepted third down pass, putting the NSU offense back on the field.
Chaka Kelly worked his way into the scoring mix, with his first touchdown of the season to put the Wolves up 45-14. Kelly's 11 yard rush with under five minutes to play, was the team's sixth of the day, a season high in 2015.
Kyle Lavand tallied 124 yards passing with 13 completions in 22 attempts and two touchdowns. Leading the NSU rushing attack was
Nicholas Truen with a season high 87 yards and one touchdown. Truen averaged 6.2 yards per carry.
Chaka Kelly followed with 70 yards of his own, and his first TD of 2015.
Conner Doherty and
Tyrell Anderson led the NSU receivers with 65 and 23 yards respectively.
Taylor Zemlicka led the NSU defense with eight tackles, followed by
Blaine Schmidt and Trevor Heining with seven apiece.
Channing Barber and
Noah MacPherson each notched six tackles, while Barber had a huge day adding one interception and a 90 yard kick return on special teams.
Tanner Lopez,
Marcus Marcellus, and
Dalton Wangerin each recorded a sack in the win, for 11, 11 and eight yards of loss respectively.
Things came together across the board for the Wolves, as the NSU special teams added to the NSU attack.
Adrian Krupka tallied five punts and eight kickoffs in the win, averaging 43.4 yards per punt and 58.0 yards per kickoff.
Nathan Shaw notched his first field goal of the season and was perfect in point after attempts.
Joe Parsley led the NSU punt returners with 36 yards in the win.
Northern recorded 345 yards of total offense, led by the Wolves rushing attack with 221. The Wolves three sacks resulted in a total of 30 Beaver yards lost, and the defense held Minot State to a 3-of-15 mark on third down conversions.
The Wolves return home next weekend to face MSU Moorhead in the 2015 Ag Bowl, sponsored by InsuraCrop. The Wolves and Dragons will kick-off at 1 p.m. from Swisher Field, on Saturday October 10.
