Lester special for MSU

Copy of Minot Daily News Story (link)

By MICHAEL LINNELL

Sports Editor

mlinnell@minotdailynews.com



MAYVILLE — Minot State University freshman receiver Johnny Lester had only three touches that spanned a minuscule 25 seconds of the game.

But two of those touches were gigantic.

Lester returned a punt for a 51-yard touchdown to get the Beavers on the board and had a 51-yard kickoff return setting up the decisive blow as Minot State remained unbeaten in Dakota Athletic Conference play with a 21-10 win over Mayville State Saturday at Jerome Berg Field.

“I just tried to make a play,” Lester said of the returns. “The punt return got us going... The kick off return got us back in the game.”

Lester's punt return came early in the fourth quarter after Mayville had cut the Beavers' lead to just 14-10 on a Dustin Hagans' 30-yard field goal. Two plays later, Minot's Nick Banks broke a 31-yard run to give the Beavers a 21-10 lead.

“It was huge,” MSU head coach Paul Rudolph said of the kick return. “It gave us the momentum right back and changed the game. Johnny is fun to watch when he gets in the open field.”

The Banks touchdown run with 13:01 to play in the game capped the scoring and capped a solid 122-yard, two-touchdown day for the junior running back. It also made up for a sub par first half where Banks, the DAC's leading rusher coming into the weekend, was held to just 22 yards.

“I just didn't feel it coming off the bus,” Banks said. “I was sluggish in the first half. I don't know, maybe it was the gloomy day or the the bus ride or something. I got warmed up in the second half.

“Coach gave us a pep talk at halftime and we came together as a team.”

When asked if his halftime speech was more chewing than pepping, Rudolph said that it was the latter.

“I don't really believe in chewing guys out,” he said. “We talked about being a team. I told them that no one individual can make all the difference, we have to come together. We definitely had more intensity in the second half.”

The Beavers built an early 14-0 lead on the Lester punt return and a Banks 8-yard run, but were bogged down for nearly a quarter and a half. Part of the problem was the Comets' ball control offense that ground up 10:19 of the second quarter. Mayville's only touchdown of the day came in a 20-yard pass from wide receiver Jake McLain to Keith Christopher with 11:04 to play in the first half after a 10-play, 55-yard drive that lasted 4:26. The Comets used a bubble screen to lateral the ball to McLain who easily completed the TD pass to a wide-open Christopher.

“They got the trick play to work on us and one other big play, but the defense didn't give up much down field,” Rudolph said. “I don't think they had a running play of more than 6 or 7 yards — other than a scramble.”

The scramble became one of the best offensive weapons for the Comets as quarterback Dustin Hagans proved his versatility under center, rushing for 38 yards, most on improvised runs, and threw for another 173.

“He is tough to corral back there,” Rudolph said. “He makes plays, that's for sure. We knew he was a good athlete.”

MiSU made a concerted effort to run the ball in the second half and Banks, as well as the offensive line, responded. Banks had 29 yards rushing on the Beavers' opening drive in the second half — MiSU's only possession of the quarter — and finished with 71 yards rushing in the fourth quarter, including the TD run.

“The guys in front made a big difference and I just felt I ran the ball harder in the second half,” Banks said. “It feels good. It feels good to be 4-0 and still in the hunt for the DAC championship.”

With MiSU's return to the run game, the Beavers didn't have to throw the ball much in the second half, as quarterback Jon Meier threw just four passes after halftime. He completed three however and had his most proficient day passing, going 11-of-17 with 156 yards and no interceptions. Minot senior Chauncey Hendershot was his favorite target with four catches for 104 yards, including two big pass plays where Hendershot adjusted to the ball better than the Mayville defender.

Hagans was the leading rusher for Mayville (0-4 DAC, 1-6 overall) with 38 yards as the Beavers held the Comets to just 93 yards rushing. Christopher was the leading receiver with seven catches for 79 yards.

Minot State (4-0 DAC, 4-3 overall) returns to Herb Parker Stadium for a clash with Valley City State Saturday starting at 1:30 p.m.