MOORHEAD, Minn. — The Minnesota State University Moorhead football team defeated Minot State, 36-14 in the Dragons' Homecoming contest Saturday at Scheels Field in Moorhead, Minn.
MSUM is now 2-4 overall and in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference while Minot State fell to 0-6 both overall and in the conference.
MSUM posted season highs in points (36) and total offense (486) in the win while forcing three Minot State turnovers. MSUM did not have a turnover on the day and only committed three penalties.
"I'm really proud of the energy the guys played with," MSUM head coach Steve Laqua said. "We did a great job overcoming a slow start and developing a rhythm. I thought there were a lot of guys that made significant contributions to the win. It was nice to see so many different people playing such big parts. It was definitely a team win."
Freshman quarterback Jack Strand was 38-of-50 for a career-high 383 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for a touchdown.
Junior receiver Ryan Bieberdorf had 12 catches for a career-high 198 yards and a touchdown. Redshirt freshman receiver Gage Florence had nine catches for 71 yards while sophomore running back Luke Imdieke had seven catches for 58 yards. Redshirt freshman Carter Birrenkott had 10 catches for 52 yards and a score.
Junior running back Tyson Powell had 34 rushing yards on eight carries to lead the ground game. Junior fullback Hayden Boll rushed for a pair of scores.
For the defense, junior defensive back Jake Bettcher had two interceptions, a forced fumble and seven tackles. Sophomore defensive lineman Denver Sheets had two sacks while sophomore linebacker Marcus Gulley had nine tackles.
The Dragons trailed 7-0 just 2:49 into the game on Ali Mohamed's touchdown run. Moments later, Boll capped off a 13-play, 86-yard drive with a touchdown from four yards out. The PAT failed leaving the Dragons down 7-6. In the second quarter Strand ran it in fro four yards out to put the Dragons up 13-7.
Minot State opened the second half with a touchdown to pull ahead 14-13, but the Dragons grabbed the momentum from there. Boll's second rushing touchdown of the game — a 1-yard plunge — put MSUM up 20-14 with 8:15 left in the third.
Junior kicker Ryan Riedel connected from 18 yards out on the next series to give MSUM a 23-14 lead with 4:46 left in the third.
Strand connected with Birrenkott from 16 yards out with 26 seconds left in the third to make it 29-14.
After Bettcher's second interception, the Dragons moved quickly, going 80 yards on four plays, capping off the drive when Strand hit Bieberdorf from four yards out to make it 36-14.
Sophomore quarterback Tommy Falk completed 3-of-5 passes for 33 yards. Sophomore defensive lineman Justice Noel added a sack.
Steve d'Eustachio Stat of the Game
Today's win was the first time that the Dragons snapped a losing streak of at least three on this date, since beating Southwest Minnesota State, 37-16 on this date in 2005. The win was the lone Dragons' triumph that season, and the first and only victory for Chad Eisele who served as head coach for just the 2005 season.
