NSIC Players of the Week
POW HIGHLIGHTS

#20 Dajon Newell (RB, 5-10, 189, Jr., Lakeville, Minn./North HS) rushed for 86 yards on 11 carries to lead Augustana’s rushing attack against Wayne State on Saturday. Newell averaged 7.8 yards per carry, and busted off a 32-yard run early in the fourth quarter, marking his third rush of 30-plus yards on the season. Newell also caught four passes for 29 yards, to finish the game with a team-high 114 all-purpose yards.
#53 Jake Lee (DL, 5-11, 270, Jr., Blue Earth, Minn./Blue Earth Area HS) recorded a career-high six tackles against Wayne State on Saturday, including a staggering career-high 4.0 tackles for loss. Lee added a sack in the game, marking his third sack of the season, which is a career-high for the junior. Lee now leads the team with 8.0 tackles for loss.
#47 Brandon Mohr (LB, 6-0, 230, So., Sioux Falls, S.D./Washington HS/South Dakota State) matched his career-high for the third time this season with 11 tackles in Saturday’s game against Wayne State. Mohr led the Vikings in tackles against the Wildcats, picking up four solo tackles and seven assisted tackles. The sophomore also added 1.5 tackles for loss, including a sack to bring his season total to 2.5. Mohr leads the Vikings defensively with 49 sacks this season, including 33 solo stops.

Bemidji State
#4 Avery Walker (RB, 5-10, 202, Sr-1L, Milwaukee, Wis. / Mesabi Range CC) rushed 46 times for a career-high 265 yards and two touchdowns at Minnesota Crookston Saturday. The mark established back-to-back 150-plus yard games for the senior. His long rush went for 40 yards, while he averaged 5.8 yards per carry. He became the first BSU back to go for 200 or more yards in a game since Dustin Kroeplin rushed for 200 yards even versus Northern State Oct. 30, 2010.
#91 Dan Kiebler (DL, 6-3, 258, Jr-2L, Franklin Park, Ill. / West Leyden HS) tied for the team lead and recorded a career-high in tackles with eight (two solo) in a contest at Minnesota Crookston. He totaled a career-best 1.5 sacks that resulted in a loss of 13 yards of offense for UMC.
BSU suffered a loss to Minnesota Crookston for the first time since 1998, Saturday, ending a 14-game winning streak against the Golden Eagles. The Beavers lost 16-14 in a wet and muddy battle in Crookston, Minn. on a safety, allowed with just 1:25 left in regulation. Between three lost fumbles, two first half failed fourth and goal situations inside the UMC 2-yard line and miscues on special teams, BSU couldn’t find away to total more than 14 points against a UMC team that had allowed an NSIC-worst 52.0 points per game entering the contest. Senior Avery Walker carried the BSU offense, as he totaled a career-high 265 yards rushing and two touchdowns. The Beavers and Golden Eagles have played for a traveling trophy, a Hubcap, to signify its Highway 2 rivalry since 2004. BSU had won all nine Hubcap meetings entering Saturday’s contest. The Beavers look to rebound with a home game Oct. 12 against University of Mary (3-2; 3-2 NSIC, 1-0 NSIC North). U-Mary is coming off a 45-10 home victory against Minot State. The Beavers and Marauders have met seven times since 2006 with BSU holding the slight 4-3 advantage. Bemidji State has won four of the last five, which includes a 29-21 road victory a season ago. The last time the two teams met in Bemidji, Minn. (Oct. 23, 2010), the Beavers came away with a 23-22 victory off a field goal with 21 seconds remaining in regulation. 

Concordia-St. Paul
Concordia fell 27-7 to #2 Minnesota State on homecoming despite 10 receptions for 82 yards from sophomore Gabe Boyce, just two catches from matching the single-game record … the Golden Bears fall to 2-6 against MSU including 1-3 at home (0-3 at Sea Foam Stadium), and the third-straight loss against the Mavericks … this Saturday, Concordia heads to Upper Iowa for a 6 p.m. kickoff in Fayette … Concordia is 7-0 all-time against the Peacocks and 2-0 against UIU in Fayette, adding a third win against UIU in Iowa with a neutral site field added to the mix … Concordia hasn’t played at UIU’s home field since 2009, a 57-56 double overtime win … last year, Concordia defeated Upper Iowa 35-6 on Concordia’s homecoming … the Golden Bears are seeking a 4-2 start since the 2010 Mineral Water Bowl campaign and the first in head coach Ryan Williams’ third season … Concordia has started 4-2 or better 14 times in the history of the football program dating back to 1969 … senior Zach Moore added a half sack giving him 28.5 for his career, just 1.5 shy of the school record as he moves into third place on the career list, he has 2.5 sacks during his senior season.

University of Mary
Dariouse Gravely (RB, 5-8, 197, Jr., Las Vegas, Nev. / Silverado) scored the first two touchdowns in the Marauders 45-10 homecoming victory over Minot State. On the first snap of the Marauders second possession of the game, Gravely busted off a 42-yard scoring run for a 7-0 U-Mary lead. It was the first of 38 straight points for the home team. He then scored from two yards out on the Marauders next possession to double U-Mary’s advantage. For the day the junior ran for 83 yards and the two scores on 12 carries. Gravely also made two tackles on special teams.
Grant Singer (LB, 6-1, 215, Jr., Turtle Lake, ND / Turtle Lake-Mercer) had two tackles for loss and an interception. He totaled six tackles in the game. Singer is fourth in the NSIC in tackles and tackles for loss and is fifth in interceptions... Danielle Whitaker (DB, 5-10, 165, R-Fr, Houston, Texas / Westfield) had an interception, broke up two other passes and made five tackles... Craig Jeffery (DB, 6-1, 185, Sr., Oroville, Calif. / Oroville / Butte College) broke up three passes and made a tackle as the Marauders limited the Beavers to 131 yards passing and 243 yards of total offense. Jeffrey is fifth in the NSIC in passes defended... CJ Dreakford (DB, 5-9, 180, Sr., Rock Hill, SC / South Point / Butte College) scored the final Marauders touchdown of the day when he returned an interception 17 yards for the score. He also had a pass breakup in the game and shared a tackle for loss.
Preston Tescher (DB, 6-0, 195, So., Bismarck, ND / St. Mary’s) set up the Marauders first touchdown with a blocked punt, leading to a Dariouse Gravely 42-yard run on the next play. Early in the second quarter Tescher recovered a fumbled punt at the Beavers 18 yard line. Elby Pope caught a touchdown from Craig Bagnell on the next play for a 21-0 Marauders lead. The Bismarck native later added a tackle on special teams. For the day U-Mary’s starting safety recorded five tackles (three solo). Marauders head coach Myron Schulz earned his 100th career win in U-Mary’s 45-10 homecoming win over Minot State University. Schulz is in his 15th season leading U-Mary and has a career record of 100-57.

Minnesota Crookston
Andrew “Rock” Hall (Jr., LB, Detroit, Mich.) - Hall was all over the field for the Golden Eagles as they operated the “bend-don’t break” defense to perfection against Bemidji State, as the defense forced five fumbles and stopped two fourth down attempts to limit the Beavers to 14 points. Hall had 16 tackles, a career high for the Golden Eagle junior, along with a half sack and 2.5 tackles for loss. 10 of his tackles were solo tackles.
Tyler Hansen (Jr., DB/P, Morris, Minn.) had seven punts for 32.4 yard average in a wet environment with a long of 55 and two punts inside the 20 yard line including burying the Beavers at the three-yard line with under two minutes remaining which ultimately led to safety by Hansen tackling Avery Walker in the end zone. Hansen also had a converted fake punt which he ran for two yards for a first down as well as a blocked punt off BSU’s Zach Pulkinen as the man was everywhere for the Golden Eagles helping UMC to a 16-14 win over Bemidji State to end a 14-game drought against the Beavers and capture the “Hub Cap Trophy” for the first-time ever in the 10 years the two schools have been playing for it.  In the fourth quarter alone on consecutive drives he had a punt that went off a BSU player Larry Miller which UMC recovered. Then he had the fake punt and then had the punt inside the 20 which ultimately led to the safety.

Minnesota Duluth
Austin Sikorski (5-10, 200, Jr, Stevens Point, Wis.) rushed for UMD 2013 season-high 177 yards and two touchdowns on just 17 carries in the Bulldogs’ 34-7 victory over No. 18 St. Cloud State Saturday afternoon. He scored on runs of 66 and 31 yards midway through the second half to put the game away while eclipsing the 100-yard run barrier for the seventh time in his career. The 2012 All-NSIC North Division second team pick currently leads the Bulldogs in rushing with 490 yards on 80 attempts (for a 6.1 yards per carry average).
The Bulldogs (4-1) will take their show on the road to Moorhead, Minn., this Saturday for an NSIC North Division confrontation with Minnesota State University-Moorhead.
The Bulldogs is  33-17-4 all time against Minnesota State-Moorhead and has reeled off 11 straight wins over their long-time rivals (going back to a 20-14 setback on Oct. 2, 1999 in Duluth).  In the past five meetings UMD has outscored the Dragons by a combined 278-59.
UMD, the five-time defending NSIC  North Division champions, used a pair of touchdown runs by both Sikorski and sophomore running back Logan Lauters to topple St. Cloud State University 34-7 at Malosky Stadium over the weekend. The Bulldogs spotted the then-unbeaten Huskies a 7-0 second quarter lead before striking twice in the final 28 seconds of the half to go up for good. The seven points were the lowest scoring output by a St. Cloud State club in four years (a 31-7 loss at at UMD pn Oct. 17, 2009).
The Bulldogs have outscored the opposition 63-14 in the first quarter and 113-49 in the opening 30 minutes of play this season. Senior right offensive tackle Tom Olson has made 47 straight starts (which covers all games since the 2010 season opener) -- that’s the second longest such ironman streak in Bulldog football history (he shares that honor with All-American quarterback Ted Schlafke, 2005-08).  Three-time All-American offensive guard Garth Heikkinen, now a UMD graduate assistant coach, holds the record for consecutive starts with 54, which he set between 2009-12.
UMD currently ranks fourth among all NCAA II schools in time of possession (35:07), sixth in total defense (262.8 yards per game) and seventh in rushing defense (79.6 ypg).
Since the NSIC instituted a divisional format, the Bulldogs are 30-2 in North Division play with both of those losses coming against St. Cloud State (2011 and 2012).

Minnesota State
Jon Wolf (QB, 6-4, 230, Sr., Oak Forest, Ill., Oak Forest) finished the day with his second consecutive 100 yard rushing game as he posted 107 rushing yards and a touchdown. He also completed 8-of-17 passes for 128 yards. His 44-yard touchdown run game the Mavericks a 21-0 lead heading into the locker room.
Tyler Henderson (LB, 6-2, 211, So., Mankato, Minn., West) finished the day with a team-leading nine tackles, to go along with 0.5 sacks. He also broke up one pass and one quarterback hurry.
Sam Brockshus, K, 5-11, 205, Sr., Spencer, Iowa, Spencer finished the game against Concordia-St. Paul 4-of-4 in field goal attempts with kicks from 35, 32, 41 and 27 yards out. He also averaged 60.9 yards per kick in seven kickoff attempts.
With its 27-7 win over Concordia-St. Paul, Minnesota State has now started its season 5-0. This is the third time MSU has started a season 5-0 since joining the NSIC back in the 2008 season. MSU started the 2009 and 2012 seasons with 5-0 records.
MSU has now won 16 straight NSIC games dating back to week one of the 2012 season. The win also represented MSU’s 400th win in program history.
Three different Mavericks picked up an interception against the Golden Bears including juniors Nathan Hancock, Eric Clark and Kris Fleigle.
Senior Dennis Carter opened the scoring against Concordia-St. Paul as he returned a punt 84 yards on MSU’s second possession of the game.

MSU Moorhead
Jake Hodge (QB,  6-1, 195, So., Kasson, Minn. / Kasson-Mantorville) had a big day in the Dragons’ 47-46 win over Northern State on Oct. 5. Hodge was 30-of-47 passing for 292 yards and three touchdowns (with no interceptions) and also added 101 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries. He also rushed for the go-ahead two-point conversion in the fourth quarter, which gave the Dragons a 47-46 lead. Hodge had touchdown runs of 71 and 12 yards. Hodge hit Adam Jiskra for touchdown passes of 11 and 32 yards and also hit Cory Ambrose with a 17-yard strike in the third quarter. Hodge leads the Dragons in rushing (344 yards, seven touchdowns), passing yards (850) and passing touchdowns (eight).
Sam Callahan (DL, 6-2, 230, Sr., Fargo, N.D./Fargo South HS) had seven tackles, including six solo stops, and a fumble recovery during MSUM’s 47-46 come-from-behind win over Northern State on Oct. 5. He had a pass breakup and had a half-tackle for loss as well. Callahan shares the team lead with 33 tackles this season.
Michael Schwichtenberg (P, 6-0, 215, Fr., West Bend, Wis. / West Bend West HS) had a solid day punting during the Dragons’ 47-46 win over Northern State on Oct. 5. The freshman averaged 35.1 yards per punt and placed three punts inside the 20 during Saturday’s game. He had a long punt of 43 yards.

Minot State
Minot State University got off to slow start again Saturday and paid the price as the Beavers trailed 38-0 at halftime against the University of Mary and fell 45-10. Minot State didn’t get on the board until the 8-minute mark of the third quarter as #99 Brian Gutierrez (Jr., 5-10, 220, K, Granada Hills, Calif. / Birmingham High School / L.A. Pierce College) and didn’t get into the end zone until #2 Randel Barber (RB, 6-1, 199, So., Maricopa, Ariz. / Maricopa High School) scores with 1:26 to play in the fourth quarter. Barber finished with 82 yards rushing on 11 carries and #24 Jarvis Mustipher (RB, 5-7, 234, R-Fr., Melbourne, Fla. / Viera High School) added 27 yards rushing as the Beavers gained just over 100 yards rushing as a team. #40 Chad Marshall (LB, 6-2, 234, LB, Hazen, N.D. / Hazen High School) paced the defense with 12 tackles, the third time this season he has reached double figures in tackles. #42 Casey Weinmann (LB, 6-0, 212, Jr., Selz, N.D. / Harvey High School) added nine tackles and a sack for the MISU. The Beavers will return home looking to end a three-game losing streak as they play host to Northern State Saturday at 2:30 p.m.

Northern State
Jared Jacobson (QB, Jr., Rapid City, S.D., St. Thomas More HS) led the Wolves rushing attack with 117 yards on 17 carries Saturday as Northern lost a wild 47-46 affair to MSU Moorhead. Jacobson also passed for three scores on the day and passed for 161 yards through the air. It’s Jacobson’s second game with three or more scores this season and third with more than two TD strikes.
Channing Barber (DB, R-Fr., Dell Rapids, S.D., Dell Rapids HS) played a huge role in a special teams unit that blocked two PATs, returned one for a two-point conversion, had a fake punt go for a TD, and another fake field goal go for a score. In the second quarter Saturday, Barber took a fake punt attempt 60 yards for the score to put the Wolves up in the game. Barber also had a 23-yard kick return later in the game.

Sioux Falls
#15 Luke Papilion (QB, 6-5, 220, Fr., Denver, Colo./ Cherry Creek HS) threw two touchdown passes and ran for three more scores, leading the Cougars to a 55-48 victory over Southwest Minnesota State. A crowd of nearly 3,900 watched USF’s freshman quarterback score the winning touchdown on a 17-yard read option run that broke a 48-48 tie with 0:44 left in the game. The Cougars led 21-3 at one point but SMSU battled back to within seven, 31-24 at half. Three snaps into the second half, Papilion found Wes Smith for a 37-yard touchdown pass that gave USF a two-touchdown advantage at 38-24. The teams mostly traded scores from that point on with SMSU tying the game at 45 and then taking their first lead early in the fourth on a 26-yard field goal. But that was plenty of time for Papilion and the high-powered Cougars. He handed the ball four times in a row to Nephi Garcia, who twice moved the chains. Two snaps later, Carrington Hanna found a seam and Papilion delivered a 10-yard pass to set up 3rd-and-1 at the Mustang 25. Six running plays later, Bradley Hatfield drilled a 19-yard chip shot to tie the game at 48-48.  Papilion’s final stat line was 24 rushes for 204 yards and three touchdowns. He also threw for 168 yards and two scores. Papilion ranks 7th in the NSIC is rushing at 96.8 yards per game and is the only freshman and one of two quarterbacks to rank in the top-10. His nine rushing TDs and scoring average (13.5) are second only to SMSU junior running back Tyler Tonderum. Papilion is responsible for 12 of the Cougars’ 19 rushing touchdowns and he has racked up 591 yards on the ground in his first five collegiate contest. Papilion is also 52-for-125 for 620 yards with five picks and three touchdowns.

Southwest Minnesota State
Senior wide receiver Anthony Dean (6-2, 203, Tampa, Fla.) caught a career-high 11 passes, set an NSIC single-game record with 308 yards receiving and scored four touchdowns in SMSU’s 55-48 last-minute home loss to Sioux Falls on Saturday night. Dean broke the previous record of 289 yards set by Billy Beckwith of Minnesota-Morris versus Winona State in 1999. Dean scored on touchdown passes of 42, 82, 6 and 72 yards in the game – with the last touchdown tying the game at 45 late in the third quarter. Dean is the second SMSU player to record more than 300 yards receiving in one game. Alvin Ashley holds the record with 320 yards in a non-conference game verus Minot State in 1991.
Junior defense end AJ Page (6-6, 231, Minneapolis) recorded a career-high 17 tackles with one for loss and half a sack in SMSU’s 55-48 loss to Sioux Falls. Page is the team leader with 55 tackles, tackles for loss with 10 and sacks with five.
Junior running back Tyler Tonderum had another huge rushing game for SMSU in the loss to Sioux Falls. Tonderum – who entered the game ranking second in the country in rushing – rolled up 271 yards and two touchdowns on 32 carries and in the process became just the fifth SMSU player to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a single-season. Tonderum also caught seven passes for 58 yards in the setback. Tonderum now has rushed for 1,056 yards and 12 touchdowns this season and already ranks second on the school’s single-season rushing list.

St. Cloud State
The Huskies, then ranked No. 18 in the AFCA poll suffered their first loss of the season, 34-7 to No. 11 Minnesota Duluth in the Bulldogs Homecoming game last Saturday.  Phillip Klaphake (Sr., QB, Princeton, Minn.) accounted for the Huskies only score of the game, a three-yard run to give the Huskies a 7-0 lead early in the second quarter. UMD went on to score 34 unanswered points including two touchdowns in the final :28 seconds of the first half. Klaphake went over the 2,000 yard career rushing mark and has 2,014 career yards. He is the Huskies top rushing quarterback in school history. He is also nearing the 9,000 yard career passing mark as his current total is 8,948 yards.  Jack Moro (Sr., DB, Brookfield, Wis.) had a career game high 13 tackles in the game and Kyle Risinger (Jr., DB, Excelsior, Minn.) also had a personal career high with 11 tackles. The Huskies collected their ninth and tenth interceptions of the season on picks by Eric Poggenburg (Sr., FS, Cedarburg, Wis.) and Marvin Matthews (Sr., CB, Roseville, Minn.). The Huskies had won two in a row against the Bulldogs prior to Saturday’s loss. St. Cloud State hosts Minnesota Crookson next Saturday in the Huskies Hall of Fame Game. The Huskies are 9-0 all-time against the Golden Eagles since the series began in 2003.

Upper Iowa
Through the first quarter of play the defenses for both Upper Iowa and Winona State were dictating play. As the game moved to the second quarter, the Warriors held a 7-3 advantage, but over the next three quarters the offenses took over and moved the ball up and down the field at will. Winona State came out on top of the NSIC South Division battle thanks to five touchdowns in the second and fourth quarters to post a 49-32 victory.
The Warriors scored three touchdowns of over 30 yards in the passing game, returned an interception for a score and added a blocked punt for a touchdown to post the big number on the scoreboard. Upper Iowa had 607 yards of total offense in the game including 428 yards in the air and 179 yards on the ground, while Winona State recorded 426 yards of which only 93 yards came on the ground. Despite the enormous offensive yardage numbers, the Peacocks still came up empty in the most important department... turnovers. UIU turned the ball over four times on a fumble and three interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown, and twice more were denied on fourth down attempts. Winona State only gave the ball to UIU once on a turnover on downs. The Warriors did, however, convert four of the Peacock turnovers into touchdowns and added a special teams score as well when they blocked a punt and returned it into the endzone.
UIU’s standouts included Cole Jaeschke (428 yards passing, 2 TDs, 3 INT, 38 yards rushing), Chris Smith  (99 yards rushing, 27 yards receiving), Keaton Hosch (10 catches, 189 yards receiving, 2 TDs), Shay Gutman ( 6 catches, 98 yards), Tyler Fisher (7 tackles, 1 for loss), Ethan Douglas (6 tackles), Jordan Andera (6 tackles) and Alex Wahl (3 tackles for loss, 1 sack).
Upper Iowa will welcome the Golden Bears of Concordia University, St. Paul on Saturday, Oct. 12, for Homecoming Weekend in Fayette. The Peacocks will look to break the Golden Bears win streak against them and post their first victory over CU. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. under the lights in Fayette.

Wayne State
Wayne State used 10 first quarter points and stopped Augustana three times inside the red zone without points as the Wildcats recorded a 10-7 win at Augustana Saturday afternoon.   It was the fourth straight win for the Wildcats over the Vikings and the fifth time in the last six meetings between the two schools that WSC was victororius.  
Redshirt freshman quarterback Zach Osborn hit junior wide receiver Adam Stark on an 80-yard scoring strike with 1:30 left in the first quarter for the lone Wildcat touchdown in the game.  Osborn ended the day 11 of 21 for 188 yards and one touchdown while Stark finished with two catches for 89 yards and one score.  
Defensively, junior linebacker Nick Monzu led the ‘Cats with 11 tackles followed by sophomore linebacker Nathan Scott with 10. 
 
Winona State
Jack Nelson, QB, Fr., 6-4, 195, Byron, Minn. (Byron) hit on a trio of big plays, throwing for 333 yards and three touchdowns as the Warriors beat Upper Iowa 49-32. Nelson tossed touchdown passes of 53, 40 and 34 yards while completing 15 of 29 passes without an interception. Nelson helped the Warriors jump out to a 28-3 lead with a 34-yard touchdown to Tony Mueller and a 40-yard strike to Cameron Johnson early. A second half UIU charge was stopped by Nelson, who hit Alan May for a 53-yard score. Nelson’s 333 yards mark the second time he has passed for over 300 yards this season.
Patrick Lazzara, SS, Jr., 6-0, 190, Chicago, Ill. (Notre Dame) was all over the field, intercepting two passes and returning one for a touchdown in the Warriors 49-32 win over Upper Iowa. Lazzara took his first interception of the game back 27 yards for a score early in the second quarter and added another pick in the end zone later in the period that stalled an Upper Iowa drive. The junior also forced a fumble, giving him a hand in three of the four turnovers forced in the game. He also had eight tackles, with seven of those solo.

Past NSIC Players of the Week
9/9/13
OFF: Cole Jaeschke  - UIU
DEF: Connor Quinn - BSU
SPT: Lucas Wainman - Augie

9/16/13
OFF: Tyler Tonderum - SMSU
DEF: Troy Guptill - U-Mary
SPT: Elby Pope - U-Mary

9/23/13
OFF: Chris Smith - UIU
DEF: Nathan Hancock - MSU
SPT: Alan May - WSU

9/30/13
OFF: Chichi Ojika - WSU
DEF: Jack Moro - SCSU
SPT: Zach Pulkinen - BSU

10/07/13
OFF: Anthony Dean, SMSU
DEF: Patrick Lazzara, WSU
SPT: Sam Brockshus, MSU

    #NSIC#