BSU capitalizes on MSU

Copy of Minot Daily News story.

By MICHAEL LINNELL, Staff Writer mlinnell@ndweb.com

Minot State University would like to just forget about Saturday's first quarter. Bemidji (Minn.) State University, on the other hand, would like to keep it going all year.

BSU scored 21 points without crossing the 50-yard line in the first quarter and held off Minot State 42-17 in the seventh-annual "Beaver Bash" at Herb Parker Stadium in college football.

Bemidji State actually scored the game's first 28 points thanks in part to three Minot State turnovers.  "We did a good job of capitalizing on (MSU's) miscues," BSU coach Jeff Tesch said. "It was their defense's job to hold us to field goals in those situations, but we were able to get into the end zone."

Minot State ran only five offensive plays before finding itself down 21-0. MSU's Andre James fumbled on the first drive, quarterback Jamar Culver threw an interception on the first play of MSU's second drive and James fumbled just one play into the third drive. MSU had four fumbles on the day.

"Bottom line is, we have to find someone who can hold on to the ball," MSU coach Mike Sivertson said.   MSU's first punt of the day, with 12:50 to play in the second quarter, was the first time the ball crossed the 50-yard line. BSU promptly marched down the field for its fourth score. Sannes, who finished with six touchdown passes, hooked up with Chad Christianson for a 65-yard deep fly route.

"I definitely felt good early," Sannes, who finished with 290 yards on the day, said. "The defense did its job giving us a short field to play with. It makes it so much easier when you have a short field - you don't have to worry about mistakes."

Sannes sprayed the ball around to multiple receivers, hitting Anthony Schreiber for a 3-yard strike to open the scoring and Jonathan Hawks twice before the Christianson bomb. Hawks' first score - on BSU's favorite play on the day, an inside receiver screen - covered 34 yards.

"It is a safe pass," Sannes said of the receiver screen. "All I have to do is get it over the line. The offensive line is the key - I guess like they are on every play - if they get the blocks it can turn into a great play."

Sannes' only big mistake changed the complexity of the game. MSU's Tommy Molio'o intercepted a screen pass on the MSU 20 and returned it to the BSU 25. The 5-foot-11, 268-pound Molio'o chugged up field, but was caught short of the end zone.

"We called a slant I was just right there," Molio'o said of the play. "I was trying to pitch it to somebody, but they were all in front of me. I thought I could score but I was just trying to help the team. It didn't matter if I got in or not."

MSU scored four plays later with no time remaining on the clock as Culver hit Silas Sneed on a fade route to pull MSU to within 28-14 at halftime.

"Give Minot credit, they got back into the game," Tesch, who improved to 6-1 against MSU, said. "That play (the interception) changed the momentum."

MSU got to within 11 points on a 46-yard field goal by Marco Babic five plays into the fourth quarter.

"We didn't give up," MSU junior receiver Mat Jensen said. "We felt like we were sitting pretty good at halftime after the way we started. It was great to play a game. The atmosphere was great."

Jensen, a Kenmare native, was hurt in the offseason and it was not immediately clear if he would be able to play this season. He caught MSU's first touchdown pass, an 11-yard pass from Culver in the second quarter.

Turnovers, though, squashed any chance for an MSU comeback as BSU's Chris Canter picked off Culver at midfield midway through the fourth quarter. Sannes hit Christianson on a 10-yard scoring strike eight players after the interception to give BSU a comfortable lead again.

"There are some things we are happy with, but we are playing to win so we are overall disappointed," Sivertson said. "The ultimate goal is to win a conference championship, so that is a positive today in that it doesn't affect that."

Sannes topped his solid day hitting Randall Griffin on a 5-yard fade route, the sixth different player to catch a pass. Hawks and Christianson both had 92 yards, while Schreiber finished with 82 yards.

"We have a bunch of kids who we feel can catch the ball," Tesch said. "It isn't like in past years where we have just one or two guys."

Minot State (0-1) starts Dakota Athletic Conference play next week with a trip to Jamestown College at 1:30 p.m. BSU (1-0) plays host to Minnesota State-Mankato Saturday at 1:30 p.m.