Copy of Minot Daily News Story (link)

Early points propel BSU

By MICHAEL LINNELL, Sports Editor mlinnell@minotdailynews.com

BEMIDJI, Minn. — In last week's loss to Rocky Mountain College (Mont.), Minot State University struggled for the first 15 or so minutes.

In Saturday's “Beaver Bash” against Bemidji State University, it was for about eight minutes.

That, at least, is a step in the right direction.

“We have to figure out what we are doing wrong to start the game,” MSU head coach Paul Rudolph said. “But this was at least a game.”

BSU scored 14 points over the first eight minutes including a 75-yard punt return by Anthony Schreiber the first time Bemidji touched the ball as the NCAA Division II Beavers won their sixth straight game over Minot State 31-7 in non conference college football at a soggy Chet Anderson Stadium.

“We can't spot a team like that 14 points,” Rudolph said. “But there were signs that we were a lot better football team this week. We were good between the 30s.”

MSU moved the ball effectively at times but had five drives stall inside the BSU 35-yard line in the game. MSU turned the ball over on downs twice after interceptions by Nick Marshall gave the Beavers great field position. MSU's Nik Levnaich missed on a 27-yard field goal attempt early in the second half and MSU quarterbacks Jon Meier and Ryan Jutras were each intercepted inside the 10.

“We certainly had our chances, but we need to capitalize on them,” MSU junior running back Nick Banks said. “The offense played pretty well at times and at times we had our problems. We can't have those.”

Banks provided a spark for MSU in the first half. After BSU took a 17-0 lead on the two early touchdowns and a field goal by Paul Potemra with 7:04 to play in the first half, Banks got MSU on the board. He took a draw play on 3rd-and-5 from the MSU 35 and found pay dirt. Banks made one tackler miss at about the 40 and was gone.

“It was a huge hole. The line did a great job and all I really had to do was make one person miss,” he said of his first score in an MSU jersey. “I just didn't want to be caught from behind.”

Banks didn't see any action last week, but felt the coaching staff had more confidence in his game, prompting his playing time Saturday.

“I was only in camp for about three weeks (after transferring), so I am still learning things,” he said.

Rudolph felt the Banks' play was a spark, but MSU was not very good in the run game beyond his big run.

“Nick provided some enthusiasm,” Rudolph said. “We need that. Other than the big run, we got whipped in the running game. They handled us up front.”

After the Banks' scoring play, BSU had probably its most effective drive of the game, and changed the complexity of the contest right before half. BSU quarterback Cory Wardrope found Kyle Jorganson in the left corner for a touchdown with 1:20 to play in the half, giving BSU a 24-7 lead. The touchdown came just 1:12 after Banks' run.

“We would have felt much better going into half with it 17-7, that's for sure,” Rudolph said. “We needed a stop and didn't get it.”

The MSU Beavers defense provided enough stops in the second half, but the offense couldn't get the ball in the end zone. MSU held BSU to just 23 yards in the third quarter, but had three of the five red zone opportunities in the quarter.

“We have to score,” Banks said. “That is the bottom line.”

BSU tacked on a late score by Erick Newman to finish the scoring. Despite MSU's scoring opportunities, the BSU defense only allowed 101 yards of offense, swiped two interceptions and pitched the second-half shutout.

Banks finished with 98 yards on 13 carries to pace the MSU offense. Meyer was 17-of-37 passing with the interception. His main target was Kevin Hanson, who finished with eight catches for 71 yards, mainly on short, quick routes. Tight end Joe Monsoor added five catches for 43 yards. Ryan Riemedio led the defense with 6.5 tackles, 1.5 sacks and 1.5 tackles for a loss.

“That is what the offense does,” Rudolph said of the short passing game. “Jon made some good throws and some good decisions. We need to catch the ball and help him out.”

Wardrope was 16-of-24 passing for 193 yards, with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Schreiber caught six balls for 62 yards, while Anthony Schultz had four for 53.

Newman gained 87 yards on 19 carries for BSU (1-1 overall).

MSU (0-2 overall) will look to earn first-year head coach Rudolph his first win of the season as they travel to Jamestown College for a non conference match up with the Jimmies. It is the second straight season the Dakota Athletic Conference will have a non conference week against conference opponents.

Notes: MSU's Ryan Jutras, a junior quarterback that split time with Meyer in 2006, saw his first action of the season, going 3-of-6 passing for 36 yards and an interception. ... On both of Marshall's interceptions, the ball bounced off a player and into the air before Marshall hauled the ball in. On the first, it was his own chest and the second off the hands of a Bemidji player. Marshall has three interceptions over the first two games. ... A steady rain fell on Chet Anderson Stadium, which sits on the banks of Lake Bemidji, throughout the game. It picked up in the second half. ... MSU saw the return of Matt Weidler to his defensive end position after surgery kept him off the field last week. ... BSU's defensive tackle Robert Molstad, a 6-foot-3, 255-pound senior from Champlin, Minn., was nearly unblockable for much of the game as he finished with 7 tackles, 2 sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss.