CROOKSTON, Minn. – The Minnesota State University Moorhead football team wrapped up its first winning season since 2006 with a 59-21 rout of Minnesota Crookston in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action Saturday in Crookston, Minn.

MSUM finished the year 6-5 overall and in the NSIC; the Dragons finished in a four-way tie for seventh place in the 16-team league. UMC finished 1-10.

The 17 seniors – plus one student coach – went out with a win in their final game as Dragons.

"Getting the milestone of a winning record was something that was big for this senior group," MSUM head coach Steve Laqua said. "They wanted to make the statement that they took this program from a losing record to a winning record. Today's game was very significant in that way."

MSUM set season highs for points (59), total yards (634) and rushing yards (396) in the win, which allowed them to retain the State Farm Traveling Trophy for a second straight year.

Senior running back Zayne Medhaug scored four touchdowns in the game – three on the ground and one on a pass reception – and finished with 119 rushing yards on 18 carries. He also caught a 69-yard touchdown pass.  Freshman running back Herman Gray rushed for 119 yards and two touchdowns, while sophomore quarterback Demetrius Carr rushed for 88 yards and two scores.

"The way we ran the ball had a huge impact on the game," Laqua said. "We spread the ball around, with different guys running it and catching it. We had a nice balance that kept them off guard."

Carr was solid at quarterback, competing 19-of-28 passes for 238 yards and a score. Sophomore receiver Damon Gibson had eight catches for 115 yards.
The Dragon defense held UMC to just 49 rushing yards on 23 carries. Over the past two games MSUM has allowed just 51 rushing yards on 55 carries.
Senior defensive lineman Steve Schutz had another strong day with eight tackles and a fumble recovery; he also blocked his team-best sixth kick of the 2015 season. Senior safety Garrett Shelley, senior linebacker Chris Lee and sophomore safety Abe Roehrich had six tackles each. Redshirt freshman safety Michael Strand had five tackles and a forced fumble while senior defensive back Brandon Nelson had an interception.

"For the most part the defense played well, particularly against the run," Laqua said. "They were great against the run."

Gray got the Dragons on the board midway through the first quarter when he broke free for a 51-yard scoring run to give MSUM a 7-0 lead with 6:34 left in the first. Early in the second, Medhaug scored on a 7-yard run to push the lead to 14-0.

UMC scored to cut the lead to 14-7, but MSUM responded with an 11-play, 65-yard touchdown drive to push the lead back to two scores. Carr found the end zone on a 16-yard run with 4:54 left in the half to make it 21-7.

The Golden Eagles cut the lead to 21-14 with a touchdown pass with 2:17 left in the half. The Dragons  marched inside the UMC 5-yard line but had to settle for a 19-yard field goal by redshirt freshman Joe Tjosvold which made the score 24-14 going into the half.

The third quarter proved pivotal. On a third down on the first drive of the second half, Carr hit Medhaug for a 69-yard touchdown to push the lead to 31-14.

"(Carr) scrambled for some third downs and made many good decisions and throws that moved the chains," Laqua said. "His decision-making was as good as it has been all season."

The defense then came up with a turnover. Strand stripped the ball from UMC receiver Lincoln Tappe after a reception, and Schutz recovered near midfield. On the ensuing drive, Carr hit Gibson for key 11 and 15-yard receptions to move inside the Golden Eagle 20. Moments later, Carr found the end zone from three yards out to make it 38-14 with 10:44 left in the third.

"That turnover and the score that came off of it were very crucial," Laqua said.

After forcing another UMC punt, the Dragons struck quickly as Medhaug broke free from 61 yards for  a score to make it 45-14. Medhaug accounted for 78 of the 81 yards on the drive.

"It was a great second half by our football team," Laqua said. "We played at a tempo in the first half that allowed us to wear them down and we capitalized with a big third quarter."

The Golden Eagles cut the lead to 45-21 with a touchdown late in the third. Early in the fourth, Gray found the end zone from 42 yards out to push the lead to 52-21 with 11:55 left.

UMC drove into Dragon territory, but Nelson picked off a pass from Tra Hearns and ran it back to the Golden Eagle 5-yard line. On the very next play, Medhaug scored from five yards out and gave MSUM a commanding 59-21 lead with 8:26 left.

MSUM averaged 8.6 yards per rush and 12.5 yards per completion.

"We were hoping to have more balance offensively," Laqua said. "That was part of the gameplan. The players executed it well."

MSUM will lose 17 seniors:  offensive lineman Bennen Bierman, linebacker Anthony Binford, cornerback Chris Binford, offensive lineman Joe Bromenshenkel, quarterback Jake Hodge, wide receiver Adam Jiskra, linebacker Chris Lee, running back Zayne Medhaug, tight end Myles Montplaisir, defensive back Brandon Nelson, defensive lineman Jorden Pangrac, offensive lineman Troy Peterson, wide receiver Preston Prince, cornerback Jaylen Raye, Schutz, Shelley and defensive lineman Wade Youngblom. Student-coach Tyler Rivard, whose career was cut short with an injury, also is a senior.
Peterson and Bierman did not miss a start in their four-year careers.

Steve d'Eustachio Stat of the Game:
The Dragons' six conference wins this year is the most since Ross Fortier's 1988 Dragon squad went a perfect 6-0 to capture the NIC crown.