BEMIDJI, Minn. -- The Axe is staying in Moorhead. The Minnesota State University Moorhead football team used strong performances from its defense and junior running back Zayne Medhaug to record a 27-21 win over Bemidji State in action Saturday in Bemidji, Minn.

MSUM improved to 3-7 overall and 2-4 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference North Division while Bemidji State fell to 3-7 overall and 3-3 in the north.

The Dragons won in Bemidji for the first time since the 1999 season and more importantly, retained the Axe – the second oldest traveling trophy in Division II – for a second straight year.

"That's a big accomplishment for us," MSUM head coach Steve Laqua said.  "That's a very real sign of the program's progress. We're talking in almost two decades that hasn't been done. Bemidji State has been a quality program for a number of years. To do something that hasn't been done in a while, that's a real tangible sign of our program's progress.

MSUM faced adversity in the game – quarterback Jake Hodge left with an injury in the first half and sophomore starting receiver Cory Ambrose was out with an injury – but fought through it and got a key interception late by redshirt freshman safety Abe Roehrich to seal the win in the snowy second-half conditions.

MSUM's defense held Bemidji State to 397 yards on 86 plays, including just 192 yards on 16-of-38 passing attempts.

"I thought our defense played great football all day and that was the difference in the game," Laqua said. "That's another huge step forward for that group."

Roehrich led the defense with 12 tackles and an interception. He also added a pass breakup. Junior defensive lineman Steve Schutz had 10 tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss. Freshman defensive tackle Jake Busse had two sacks, a career-high.

Medhaug's big day paced the offense. The Wahpeton, N.D., native rushed for 194 yards and three touchdowns on 16 carries, and also hauled in three passes for 35 yards. Hodge rushed for 91 yards before leaving the game with an injury. Redshirt freshman Demetrius Carr, who came in relief of Hodge, threw for 84 yards and also rushed for a touchdown for the Dragons. MSUM rushed for 306 yards, the third straight week the team has rushed for more than 300 yards.

"I was really pleased with our running game," Laqua said. "Good teams have to be able to run the football. We found a way to do that. We needed to do that with the weather conditions and the nature of the game."

MSUM led 27-14 with 4:34 left in the game but less than two minutes later Bemidji State scored to cut the lead to 27-21. The Dragons then went three-and-out and punted, and the Beavers moved inside the MSUM 30-yard line. However on a second down, Roehrich intercepted Jordan Hein in the back of the end zone with 1:16 left.

"He intercepted it in the back of the end zone; he kept his feet and made a great play," Laqua said. "He is having a phenomenal year. We needed that. They were moving the ball. That was a huge play."

The score was tied at 7-7 at halftime. The Dragons were down 7-0 after one quarter but midway through the second quarter was set up deep in Bemidji State territory after junior Wade Youngblom recovered a fumble. A few plays later, Medhaug scored from one yard out to help the Dragons tie the game at 7-7.

The Dragons got on the board to start the third quarter. Carr hit junior tight end Myles Montplaisir for a big 46-yard gain to bring the Dragons inside the Bemidji State 10-yard line. Moments later, on a third down, Carr found the end zone from seven yards out. With the extra point by sophomore Michael Schwichtenberg, the Dragons led 14-7 with 10:40 left in the third.

The lead grew to 20-7 in the fourth quarter when Medhaug broke free for an 85-yard touchdown run – his longest of his career – with 7:11 left in the contest. The extra point was blocked, but MSUM led 20-7.
Bemidji State cut the lead to 20-14 with a touchdown run with 6:14 left, but moments later, Medhaug broke free for another run – a 68-yard touchdown scamper – to push the lead to 27-14 with 4:34 left. 

"Zayne's two long runs were big, real big," Laqua said.

The Beavers then scored with 2:57 left to cut the lead to 27-21, and in the final two minutes, Roehrich intercepted Jordan Hein in the back of the end zone to secure the win.

MSUM outgained Bemidji State 458-397, including 312-205 on the ground. The Dragons had just one turnover, and that was a late first-half interception in the end zone.

The Dragons wrap up the 2014 season at home on Nov. 15 against Minnesota Crookston.

Steve d'Eustachio Stat of the Game: Today marked the first time the Dragons successfully defended the Battle Axe trophy (back-to-back wins over Bemidji St.) since beating the Beavers 29-27 in Bemidji on Oct. 5, 1996, then turning the trick 36-17 in Moorhead on Oct. 4, 1997.