Box Score
ST. CLOUD, Minn. -- The Minnesota State University Moorhead football team was within 16-14 after one quarter, but No. 13-ranked St. Cloud State pulled away after that in a 64-27 win over the Dragons in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action Saturday in St. Cloud, Minn.

MSUM ended the season 4-7 overall and 4-3 in the NSIC North Division; the Dragons finished in third in the division after being picked to finish seventh in the preseason coaches poll. St. Cloud State, which entered the game seventh in the Super Region 3 rankings, improved to 10-1 overall and 6-1 in the north.

"We played a playoff-caliber football team and they played like it today," MSUM head coach Steve Laqua said. "I was proud of the way our guys battled."

Sophomore quarterback Jake Hodge completed 15-of-23 passes for 253 yards,two scores and an interception. He left the game in the third quarter with an injury and did not return. Sophomore quarterback Ryan Toelle was 7-of-9 passing for 52 yards, a touchdown and an interception in relief. The Dragons finished with 413 yards of total offense.

Sophomore receiver Adam Jiskra capped off an impressive season with eight catches for 100 yards and two scores. He finished the season with 67 catches for 1,014 yards and 12 touchdown, becoming the first MSUM receiver to surpass 1,000 yards since Jabari Taylor did so in 2007.  

"Adam had a great game and battled. His plays gave us a chance to stay in the game," Laqua said. "He had a tremendous year."

Junior linebacker Lomumba Ismail had eight tackles and an interception for the MSUM defense while sophomore safety Garrett Shelley had eight tackles. Redshirt freshman linebacker Aaron Bohl had an interception to go with six tackles.

Sophomore Myles Montplaisir hauled in an 80-yard touchdown for MSUM, while redshirt freshman receiver Cory Ambrose had four catches for 42 yards. Sophomore tight end Wade Youngblom had four catches for 41 yards.  Senior running back Brandon Schell, playing in his final game as a Dragon, led the ground game with 40 yards and a touchdown.

It didn't take the Dragons long to get on the scoreboard. On their second offensive play, Hodge connected with Montplaisir for an 80-yard touchdown and with senior Wes Kramer's extra point, the Dragons led 7-0 just 38 seconds into the game.

St. Cloud State quickly responded with an eight-play, 65-yard drive, capped off by an 11-yard run by Michael Walker, who had four rushing scores on the day, to tie the game at 7-7. After a Dragon three-and-out, the Huskies took the lead at 14-7 on a touchdown pass.

The Dragons then gave up a safety after Hodge was tackled in the end zone with 9:18 left in the first half, giving St. Cloud State a 16-7 lead.

MSUM's defense then forced a turnover on downs at the Dragon 12-yard line.  The Dragon offense responded with its best drive of the day -- a 16-play, 88-yard march -- and scored when Schell found the end zone from one yard out. With Kramer's extra point, MSUM was within 16-14 with 1:41 left in the first quarter.

"We wanted to have a good start, and having a good start was positive," Laqua said.

The MSUM defense delivered again late in the quarter when redshirt freshman Aaron Bohl intercepted SCSU's Philip Klaphake at the Husky 40-yard line.  MSUM drove to the Huskies' 16-yard line but missed a field goal, leaving the score at 16-14.

St. Cloud State added two more second-quarter touchdowns to put the lead at 30-14, which was the halftime score.  The Huskies scored two more touchdowns in the first five minutes of the second quarter to push the lead to 44-14.

"They're a more mature team. They've got a lot of experience on the offensive and defensive line," Laqua said. "That played a big part in the game and ultimately that was the difference. They've got a lot of guys that have played a lot of college football."

MSUM cut the lead to 44-21 with 8:22 left in the third when Hodge hit Jiskra for a 16-yard touchdown.  

The Huskies pushed the lead to 57-21 in the fourth quarter. MSUM got back in the end zone with 4:58 left when Toelle hit Jiskra from 16 yards out. With Kramer's extra point, MSUM was within 7-27 but got no closer.

Redshirt freshmen defensive linemen Ryan Dahleen and Nick Ecklund each had sacks for the Dragons.

MSUM finished the season 4-7; the four wins marked the most for the Dragons since 2007, and marked a three-game improvement from 2012. MSUM finished the season 4-3 in its last four games.

"Certainly, there were multiple signs of tangible progress," Laqua said. " We finished in the top half of the north division; when you lay out benchmarks as a program that is growing and building, that would be one of them. For us to do that this year is exciting. Now we have to continue to prove that we're solidly in the top half."

Steve d'Eustachio Stat of the Game: The Dragons finished 2013 with 1,916 rushing yards which was the most gained in a season, since 2003, when the Dragons accumulated 2,131 on the ground. Senior kicker Wes Kramer also made three PAT's giving him 42 for the season, which broke the record of 40 set by Kyle Wilcox back in 2007.