CROOKSTON, Minn. — A dominant performance on both sides of the ball helped the Minnesota State University Moorhead football team roll to a 49-7 win over Minnesota Crookston in action Saturday in Crookston, Minn. With the win MSUM retained the State Farm Red River Valley Showdown trophy for a fourth straight year.

MSUM, which ended a three-game losing streak with the win, is now 3-5 overall and 1-3 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference North Division while UMC fell to 0-8 overall and 0-4 in the north.

The Dragons outgained the Golden Eagles 642-108. UMC had just 33 rushing yards on 21 attempts. Sophomore cornerback Deiondre Taylor and junior safety Casey Paskey each had four tackles. Junior defensive back Grant Reuer had an interception while sophomore defensive lineman Derek Porozinski had a career-high two sacks.  Redshirt freshman defensive lineman Jordan Magnuson had a sack and a fumble recovery, while sophomore defensive lineman Matthew Domek had a sack.
Junior cornerback Jerry Raye had three pass breakups.

"Defensively, we were dominant, especially in the first quarter and a half,"  MSUM head coach Steve Laqua said. "Our guys played with great intensity and effort."

Freshman quarterback Jakob Sinani, making his first career start, had a big day, going 27-of-34 for 378 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for a score.

"Jake did a really good job getting us into rhythm by getting some completions early, in particular to Hunter Braaten," Laqua said.

Sophomore running back Jonathan Kabambi rushed for a career-high 158 yards and two scores on 15 carries. Senior receiver Hunter Braaten hauled in a career-high 15 passes for 136 yards while sophomore receiver Hayden Swartz caught six passes for 145 yards and a score. Senior receiver Daniel Grande and redshirt freshman receiver Grady Bresnahan caught touchdowns while sophomore Zach Simons rushed for a score.

The Dragon offense took the first drive of the game 75 yards on 19 plays — taking 8:40 off the clock — and scored on a 1-yard run by Sinani to make it 7-0.  

"We came out strong in the first drive, and that set the tone," Laqua said. "Our offensive line did a great job allowing us to establish the run. Jakob did a nice job working the short passing game and spreading the ball to different people."

The Dragons pulled away with 28 second-quarter points. MSUM Kabambi rushed for a 6-yard touchdown for the first score while Sinani hit Bresnahan for a 55-yard touchdown later in the quarter.  After Magnuson's fumble recovery set up MSUM at the UMC 25-yard line, Grande hauled in a 9-yard score from Sinani to make it 28-7 with 5:23 left in the second quarter.  Just before the half, Swartz caught a 17-yard score from Sinani to make it 35-7.

"Hayden did a nice job coming in for Damon. He made a couple of big catches and did a great job," Laqua said.

Kabambi's second touchdown, at the 00:33 mark of the third quarter, made it 42-7. A 68-yard pass from Sinani to Swartz set up MSUM's final touchdown, an 8-yard run by Simons.

The Dragons return home on Oct. 28 to host the University of Mary in the battle for the Paddle.

"It's good to get a win. We need to be able to build on that," Laqua said. "We played good football across the board — offense, defense and for the most part, special teams."

Steve d'Eustachio Stat of the Game: Today marked the first game that Dan Grande caught a touchdown pass since the Dragons' 63-28 loss at the University of Minnesota Duluth on Oct. 4, 2014. It also was his first TD catch in a winning effort since hauling in two scores in the Dragons' 31-30 victory at Minot St. on Nov. 2, 2013.