MOORHEAD, Minn. — The Minnesota State University Moorhead football team drove inside the opposing 10-yard line in the final seconds but couldn't push across the winning score in a 28-24 home loss to Bemidji State in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action Saturday at Scheels Field in Moorhead, Minn.
MSUM fell to 5-5 overall and 4-2 in the NSIC North with the loss while Bemidji State improved to 7-3 overall and 5-1 in the north. The Beavers regained the Battle Axe trophy with the win.

"I'm proud of the way the kids battled," MSUM head coach Steve Laqua said. "There was no quit in them. We didn't play our best football, but we hung in there and had a shot at the end. We just ran out of time."

Both teams turned the ball over three times on a snowy Saturday in Moorhead.

For the offense, senior running back Herman Gray rushed for a season-high 103 yards and a score for MSUM.  Junior quarterback Jakup Sinani was 22-of-46 passing for 298 yards, two interceptions and two touchdowns.

Junior receiver Jake Richter had five catches for 147 yards and two scores. Junior Grady Bresnahan had seven catches.

Junior safety Shad Vedaa had 15 tackles, including one for loss, and an interception to lead the defense. Junior linebacker Carson Zarak had nine tackles, including one for loss, and an interception, while junior linebacker Matt Schoh had 11 tackles. Junior defensive end Darius Woods-Steichen had a sack and a fumble recovery.

MSUM was down 28-24 in the fourth and took over at its own 10-yard line after a Bemidji punt. A pass interference penalty moved MSUM up 15 yards, and Sinani connected on a 10-yard pass to redshirt freshman Conner Hoenke and an 11-yard pass to Ryan Bieberdorf to get the Dragons near midfield.

Sinani hit Hoenke for a pair of passes — 13 and 19 yards — to give the Dragons the ball at the 9-yard line with 7.7 seconds left. But the final pass was incomplete, leaving the Dragons four points short.

Bemidji State led 14-0 in the first half before Sinani hit Richter for a 71-yard touchdown bomb to cut the lead to 14-7 in the second quarter. After Bemidji State scored to make it 21-7, the Dragons rattled off 17 unanswered points, starting with a 51-yard pass from Sinani to Richter. Gray then broke free for a 55-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 21-21.

Late in the half, Zarak intercepted Emmett Enright and brought the ball to the Bemidji 19-yard line. The Dragons settled of a field goal, a 22-yarder from junior Hobet Diaz, to make it 24-21 at halftime.

The Dragons would not score again, however, as a field goal attempt was blocked early in the third quarter.

It was the final home game for the Dragon seniors — cornerback Deiondre Taylor, receiver Zach Sweep, offensive lineman Nathan Belisle, defensive back Tristan Hayes, running back Herman Gray, offensive lineman Isaac Ripplinger and student coach Brady Emerson.

MSUM is at St. Cloud State on Saturday, Nov. 16 to wrap up the regular season.

Steve d'Eustachio Stat of the Game: The visiting team has now won the last six games in a row in this rivalry. The Dragons were the last team to win at home when they registered a 35-17 victory six years ago today.