For Immediate Release
Monday, September 17, 2018
NSIC Media Relations
Media Packet
NSIC Offensive Player of the Week
#28 Rudy Sinflorant (RB, 5-11, 200, So., Dunnellon, Fla. / Dunnellon HS) - Augustana
- Rushed for a career-best 235 yards on 29 carries for a 8.1 average
- Scored two touchdowns
- The 235 yards is the 3rd-most all-time for a single game in Augustana history
- Ranks second in the NSIC with an average of 138.7 yards per game
NSIC Defensive Player of the Week
#20 Michael Junker (DB, 5-10, 180, Jr., Hastings, Minn. / Hastings HS) - Bemidji State
- Totaled three takeaways and a defensive touchdown in BSU’s 69-0 win
- Grabbed two interceptions with a 100-yard pick-six
- Recovered one fumble
- Tallied one sack for one tackle for a loss
- Finished with four total tackles
NSIC Special Teams Player of the Week
#4 JoseLuis Moreno (K/P, 6-0, 170, Jr., San Lorenzo, Calif. / Bishop O’Dowd HS) - Minot State
- Made a school-record 58-yard field goal to end the second quarter
- Was 2-for-2 on FG attempts as he also made a 44-yarder
- Averaged 42.6 yards on seven punts including an 88-yard punt
- Four of his seven kickoffs resulted in a touchback
| Augustana University Vikings |
| Last Week |
Season Record |
Streak |
Preseason Poll |
| W 27-21 at WSC |
2-1, 2-1 South |
W1 |
6th Overall, 4th South |
| Team Notes |
- Picked up their second road win of the year with a 27-21 victory over Wayne State
- Racked up 459 yards of total offense, including 284 rushing yards and 30 first downs
- Allowed 296 yards of offense, including just 67 rushing yards, the programs lowest this year |
| Top Performer(s) |
- Running back Rudy Sinflorant rushed for a career-best 235 yards on 29 carries (8.1 avg.) and added two touchdowns
- The 235 yards is the 3rd-most all-time for a single game in Augustana history
- Senior Kirby Hora recorded a season-high 10 tackles, including one TFL |
| Up Next |
| Saturday, Sept. 22 vs. Sioux Falls - 1 p.m. |
| Bemidji State University Beavers |
| Last Week |
Season Record |
Streak |
Preseason Poll |
| W 69-0 vs UMC |
3-0, 3-0 North |
W3 |
5th Overall, 2nd North |
| Team Notes |
- Bemidji State posted its second straight shutout with a 69-0 win over Minnesota Crookston in the Hubcap Rivalry
- BSU’s 69 points was the second most scored against UMC in the series and the first shutout since 1930
- The Beavers recorded back-to-back shutouts for the first time since 2004
- After 328 rushing yards against the Golden Eagles, the Beavers lead the NSIC with 341.3 rush yards per game
- BSU tallied seven takeaways, four interceptions and three fumble recoveries, and leads the conference with a 3.33 turnover margin per game
- The Beavers totaled nine tackles for a loss, four sacks and three forced fumbles
- Bemidji State now has three straight games with two, 100-yard running backs, including five freshman performances |
| Top Performer(s) |
- Junior defensive back Michael Junker led the BSU secondary with two interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), one fumble recovery, one sack and four tackles
- Senior defensive back Ryan Kinard and junior linebacker Matt Brennan each recorded their first career interceptions while senior defensive lineman Alex Hoffman and freshman defensive back Jake West recovered fumbles
- Junior quarterback Jared Henning and true freshman quarterback Alec Ogden combined for six passing touchdowns, 135 passing yards and no turnovers
- Senior wide receiver Landon Jones, junior fullback Matt Gross, junior fullback Cole Schmitz, sophomore wide receiver Mannie Kugmeh, sophomore wide receiver Cody King and freshman tight end Bryce Duffy each pulled in one receiving touchdown
- Freshmen running backs Jalen Frye and Sherrod Kpahn each topped 100 rushing yards, including Frye’s third straight game with at least 100 rushing yards to begin his career |
| Up Next |
| Saturday, Sept. 22 at Minnesota Duluth – 6 p.m. |
| Concordia University, St. Paul Golden Bears |
| Last Week |
Season Record |
Streak |
Preseason Poll |
| L 46-13 at MSU |
1-2, 1-2 South |
L1 |
14th Overall, 7th South |
| Team Notes |
- Held TOP edge in 1st quarter (8:03 to 6:57), even in 1st downs (6-6) and within 5 yards of offense (134 to 139) at #2 ranked MSU
- MSU used a 36-0 second quarter margin to pull away
- The Bears held a 2-0 advantage in the take-give and now hold a 7-4 season margin (21-0 pts off TO) |
| Top Performer(s) |
- Sophomore Shaq Johnson scored in his fourth straight game with 14-87 rushing (6.2 avg); he ranks sixth in the league with 263 rushing yards
- Redshirt freshman cornerback Marcus Haskins had his third interception of the year (one of four players in NSIC with 3 INT) and another pass breakup, giving him league-highs of 11 passes defended and eight pass breakups on the season
- Sophomore Jake Shepley averaged 38.2 yards on five punts with two inside the 20, and is second in the league with a 43.9 average on 15 punts this year with five inside the 20
- Junior MJ Williams caught a touchdown in a second straight game with four catches for 58 yards including the 16 yard score at the end of the first quarter |
| Up Next |
| Thursday, Sept. 20 vs Wayne State – 6 p.m. |
| University of Mary Marauders |
| Last Week |
Season Record |
Streak |
Preseason Poll |
| L 41-28 at Minot St. |
0-3 / 0-3 North |
L3 |
15th Overall, 7th North |
| Team Notes |
|
- The Marauders host MSU Moorhead in the 13th annual Battle for the Paddle trophy game
- UMary has captured the Paddle Trophy eight times in 12 games
- This is the second straight week the Marauders will play in a trophy game after facing Minot State in the Big Lake trophy contest
- UMary outgained Minot State 417-344, running for 236 yards and throwing for 191.
- BEK Sports will air the Marauders-Dragons game statewide at 6 pm on Saturday
|
| Top Performer(s) |
- So. WR Luke Little caught four passes for 81 yards. He is second in the NSIC in catches (20) and yards receiving (334)
- Fr. RB Bryan Lumsden scored two touchdowns at Minot State – the first of his career – on a pair of 1 yard runs
- Fr. QB Jason Hoekstra passed for 186 yards and a touchdown in his first career start
- Fr. LB Maxwell Askew had a sack one week after making three tackles for loss in his first career game |
| Up Next |
| Saturday, Sept. 22 vs. MSU Moorhead – 6 p.m. |
| University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles |
| Last Week |
Season Record |
Streak |
Preseason Poll |
| L 69-0 at BSU |
0-3, 0-3 North |
L3 |
16th Overall, 8th North |
| Team Notes |
- The Golden Eagles are averaging 216.0 yards of offense per game
- Minnesota Crookston treks to Minot State for a 2 p.m. kickoff Saturday in Minot, N.D. |
| Top Performer(s) |
- Elijah Todd rushed 12 times for 67 yards against Bemidji State
- Jonattan Mudd caught four passes for 49 yards
- Julian Jackson notched eight tackles
- Austin Brown tallied a sack for Minnesota Crookston |
| Up Next |
| Saturday, Sept. 22 at Minot State - 2 p.m. |
| University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs |
| Last Week |
Season Record |
Streak |
Preseason Poll |
| W 41-17 at SCSU |
3-0, 3-0 North |
W3 |
4th Overall, 1st North |
| Team Notes |
- UMD held the Huskies to just 78 total yards the entire second half and 188 yards on the night en route to posting its sixth consecutive takedown of its longtime intrastate rivals
- UMD has reeled off 16 straight victories at BSU's expense since dropping a 35-26 decision in Bemidji on Oct. 23, 1999.
- Not only are the Bulldogs a perfect 19-0-0 lifetime against Bemidji State at Malosky Stadium (their football home since 1966), but they haven't lost to the Beavers anywhere in Duluth in over 75 years (34-0 on Oct. 10, 1941); That translates into a 22-game winning streak
- Since the NSIC instituted divisional play in 2008, the Bulldogs are a sizzling 66-3 in North Division assignments, which includes a perfect 35-0 mark at home
- UMD sports the nation’s fourth stingiest defense (174.0 total yards per game) |
| Top Performer(s) |
- The Bulldogs' six touchdowns came from five different players, including redshirt freshman running back Wade Sullivan, who scored on runs of 12 and three yards and paced UMD with 39 ground yards (on 11 carries)
- Sophomore quarterback John Larson ran for one touchdown and threw for two others as he completed 16 of 27 passes for 188 yards, spreading the wealth among eight receivers
- Senior wide out Jason Balts, the 2018 NSIC North Division Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, has now caught at least one pass in 21 consecutive games and each of the last 26 games he’s played (he missed the trip to Minot State in 2016 while nursing an injury) - Balts currently ranks second among all NCAA II receivers in career yards per catch average (18.1) while fellow Bulldog senior Nate Ricci is 10th (16.3)
-John Larson is tied for the NCAA II lead in points responsible for and is fifth in touchdown passes (five) |
| Up Next |
| Saturday, Sept. 22 vs. Bemidj State – 6 p.m. |
| Minnesota State University, Mankato Mavericks |
| Last Week |
Season Record |
Streak |
Preseason Poll |
| W, 46-13 |
3-0, 3-0 South |
W3 |
1st Overall, 1st South |
| Team Notes |
- The Minnesota State defense recorded two safeties against Concordia-St. Paul.
- Minnesota State recorded 541 yards of offense, while holding CSP to 216 yards.
- Sophomore Justin Taormina rushed for 158 yards and a touchdown. This is the sixth time in his career he has rushed for more than 100 yards in a game.
- Junior Shane Zylstra tallied three catches for 94 yards and a touchdown. He has caught a touchdown pass in all three of MSU’s games this season.
- Junior Zach Robertson recorded a team-leading seven tackles, including 1.5 for a loss and 1.5 sacks.
- Minnesota State has won 16 straight NSIC games dating back to week 10 of the 2016 season. |
| Top Performer(s) |
- Justin Taormina, 158 rushing yards, 1 touchdown carry, 12.2 yards per carry.
- Shane Zylstra, 94 receiving yards, 1 touchdown catch
- Zach Robertson, 7 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks |
| Up Next |
| Saturday, Sept. 12 at Winona State – 1 p.m. |
| Minnesota State University Moorhead Dragons |
| Last Week |
Season Record |
Streak |
Preseason Poll |
| W, 42-28 over NSU |
2-1, 2-1 NSIC North |
W1 |
10th Overall, 5th North |
| Team Notes |
- Building a 35-7 halftime lead, MSUM improved to 2-1 on the season with a 42-28 home win over Northern State
- Sophomore WR Jake Richter is fourth in NSIC at 94.7 receiving yards per game
- Junior CB Deiondre Taylor is tied for fifth in NSIC with two interceptions
- MSUM is second in NSIC at 16.5 yards per punt return |
| Top Performer(s) |
- Sophomore QB Jakup Sinani was 23-of-36 passing for 238 yards and three scores
- Sophomore WR Grady Bresnahan caught 11 passes for 97 yards and a score
- Sophomore RB Zach Simons rushed for 84 yards and two scores
- Sophomore WR Jake Richter caught four passes for 84 yards
- Senior DB Aaron Doan had a career-high 14 tackles
- Senior CB Jerry Raye had nine tackles and a blocked field goal
- Junior CB Deiondre Taylor and sophomore DB Shad Vedaa had interceptions |
| Up Next |
| Sept. 22 at UMary, 6 p.m. |
| Minot State University Beavers |
| Last Week |
Season Record |
Streak |
Preseason Poll |
| W 41-28 vs UMary |
1-2, 1-2 North |
W1 |
13th Overall, 6th North |
| Team Notes |
- Forced five turnovers against Mary (4 INT, 1 FUM) and had one interception returned for a touchdown
- Minot State defeated Mary for the fourth straight year and retained the Battle of the Big Lake trophy
- The 41 points represented the most points scored against Mary since a 42-22 win in 1988 |
| Top Performer(s) |
- JoseLuis Moreno connected on a school-record 58-yard field goal
- Jemal Williams rushed for two touchdowns and also had an interception
- Ben Bolinske rushed for 97 yards including a 42-yard touchdown run in the first quarter
- Ryan DeMarois returned an interception 27 yards for a TD in the third quarter |
| Up Next |
| Saturday, Sept. 22 vs. Minnesota Crookston – 2 p.m. |
| Northern State University Wolves |
| Last Week |
Season Record |
Streak |
Preseason Poll |
| L 42-28 vs. MSUM |
1-2, 1-2 North |
L1 |
8th Overall, 4th North |
| Team Notes |
- NSU tallied their second road loss of the season, falling to MSU Moorhead 42-28
- Northern tallied 523 yards of total offense, including 126 yards rushing and 397 yards passing in the game
- They averaged 5.9 yards per play, however three costly turnovers made the difference in the game
- NSU converted at a higher rate than MSUM with 6-of-16 on third down and 3-of-4 on fourth down
- A total of 17 Wolves notched two tackles or more in the contest, as the team record five tackles for a loss and one forced fumble |
| Top Performer(s) |
- Hunter Trautman recorded a career high for the second straight week with 397 yards passing. The sophomore tallied three touchdowns and averaged 12.4 yards per completion with a 33-yard long
- Dakota Larson led the receivers with the first 100-yard game of his career, notching 139 total yards and two receiving scores
- Trautman and Larson led the team rushing with 47 and 32 yards respectively, while Larson grabbed a rushing touchdown
- Preston Droessler led the Wolves defense with ten total tackles
- Chance Olson forced the lone fumble of the game for NSU, while Etienne Ezeff led the team with two pass break-ups |
| Up Next |
| Saturday, Sept. 22 vs. St. Cloud State – 1 p.m. |
| University of Sioux Falls Cougars |
| Last Week |
Season Record |
Streak |
Preseason Poll |
| W 39-21 vs. SMSU |
2-1, 2-1 South |
W1 |
3rd Overall, 2nd South |
| Team Notes |
|
- USF had 500 yards in total offense for the first time since rolling up 557 in a 51-7 victory over Upper Iowa on Nov. 5, 2016
- USF, which now has a 66-8 all-time record at Bob Young Field, led 12-0 after the first quarter and 26-14 at halftime
- USF rushing attack provided a season-best 304 yards rushing on 55 carries or 5.5 yards per carry
- USF ranks fourth in the NSIC in rushing (246.0 ypg) and sixth in total offense (419.7 ypg)
|
| Top Performer(s) |
|
- Junior running back Gabriel Watson had 14 carries for 193 yards and two TDs in a 39-21 win vs. SMSU
- Among his two TDs was a career-best 81-yard TD gallop and then a one-yard run.
- Junior quarterback Caden Walters completed 12-of-17 passes for a career-high 196 yards with a career-high four TDs
- Junior wide receiver Nate Johnson accumulated four catches for career-high 84 yards and a career-high three TD receptions
- Linebacker Brody Grantham had six tackles and his first career interception, which he returned 48 yards
|
| Up Next |
| Saturday, Sept. 22 at Augustana - 1 p.m. |
| Southwest Minnesota State University Mustangs |
| Last Week |
Season Record |
Streak |
Preseason Poll |
| L 39-21 at USF |
0-3, 0-3 South |
L3 |
12 Overall, 8th South |
| Team Notes |
- SMSU finished with 339 yards of offense in the loss at USF on Saturday night
- SMSU finished the game 7 of 14 on third down conversions
- SMSU entered the game converting just 7 of 33 on third down in its first two games
- SMSU was just 3 of 18 on third-down conversions versus WSC
- SMSU is looking to snap an 11-game losing streak dating back to week four of last season |
| Top Performer(s) |
- Senior quarterback Blake Gimbel recorded his ninth career 300-yard passing game in Saturday’s loss at USF
- Junior wide receiver Daniel Davis caught a game-high seven passes for 105 yards and one touchdown
- Davis also had a 47 yard punt return that set up SMSU at the USF 4-yard line
- Senior linebacker Shane Ratkovich recorded a game-high 16 tackles with one sack |
| Up Next |
| Saturday, Sept. 22 vs. Upper Iowa – 1 p.m. |
| St. Cloud State University Huskies |
| Last Week |
Season Record |
Streak |
Preseason Poll |
| L 41-17 vs. No. 16 UMD |
2-1, 2-1 North |
L1 |
7th overall, 3rd NSIC North |
| Team Notes |
|
- The Huskies scored 17 points against the Minnesota-Duluth defense, the most any opponent has scored against the Bulldogs this season
- Sophomore kicker Adam Stage was named both the NSIC and D2Football Special Teams Player of the Week last week for his performance against Minnesota-Crookston
|
| Top Performer(s) |
- Ben Gutschow (3 solo tackles, one break up)
- Gregory Lewis (48 yards, long 42-yard run to set up SCSU first touchdown); Curtwan Evans (33 yards, 1 TD) |
| Up Next |
| Saturday, Sept. 22 at Northern State – 1 p.m. |
| Upper Iowa University Peacocks |
| Last Week |
Season Record |
Streak |
Preseason Poll |
| W, 34-33 vs. WSU |
1-2, 1-2 South |
W1 |
11th Overall, 6th South |
| Team Notes |
|
- UIU capped off Hall of Fame Weekend in style by scoring three touchdowns in the final quarter to rally from a two-score deficit and upset the No. 11 Warriors of Winona State 34-33
- The win marked UIU's first win of the season, the first win over Winona State at Harms-Eischeid Stadium and the first victory over a nationally-ranked opponent since Upper Iowa moved to NCAA Division II
- With 1:11 to play Antoine Conner rumbled into the end zone for his second score of the night tying the score at 33-33. An extra point by Jonathon Argueta-Herrera pushed the Peacocks on top by one, 34-33
|
| Top Performer(s) |
- Brent Lammers led the offense to 401 yards of total offense thanks to 269 passing yards and three touchdowns, as well as 39 yards rushing on 10 carries and one catch for 22 yards
- Conner added 54 yards on the ground with two scores
- Skyler Lehman caught 8 passes for 76 yards and 2 scores, while Brandyn Tulloch grabbed 6 catches for 53 yards
- Defensively, UIU was led by Mitchel Siech's 10 tackles and interception and senior Jordan Rommes
- Rommes, who moved from safety to linebacker in the offseason, recorded 7 tackles including 3.5 tackles for loss; 1.5 of which were on sacks |
| Up Next |
| Saturday, Sept. 22 at Southwest Minnesota State - 1 p.m. |
| Wayne State College Wildcats |
| Last Week |
Season Record |
Streak |
Preseason Poll |
| L 27-21 vs AUGIE |
1-2, 1-2 South |
L1 |
9th Overall, 5th South |
| Team Notes |
- A furious fourth quarter rally fell just short as Wayne State was denied on fourth and goal at the eight yard line in the final seconds
- Wayne State used a tipped pass and interception return for a touchdown of 36 yards by Odessa Clark to take a 7-0 lead
- Augustana outgained WSC in the contest 459-296 with the Wildcats gaining 199 yards in the fourth quarter rally
- The 'Cats gained 67 yards on the ground and 229 passing |
| Top Performer(s) |
- Aaron Bleil completed 20 of 44 passes for 229 yards with one touchdown
- Nate Rogers finished with nine catches for 100 yards and one TD followed by Willie Walton with six receptions for 86 yards
- Defensively, junior linebacker Tyler Thomsen recorded a game-high 13 tackles |
| Up Next |
| Thursday, Sept. 20 at Concordia-St. Paul – 6 p.m. - #NSICTNF on MidcoSN |
| Winona State University Warriors |
| Last Week |
Season Record |
Streak |
Preseason Poll |
| L 34-33 at UIU |
2-1, 2-1 South |
L1 |
2nd Overall, 2nd South |
| Team Notes |
- Suffered first-ever road loss at Upper Iowa and just second overall defeat to the Peacocks
- Outscored the Peacocks in the third quarter, 18-0, only to see UIU outscore the Warriors in the fourth, 20-6
- Rushed for over 100 yards for the third straight game this season
- Defense recorded at least one turnover for the third straight week |
| Top Performer(s) |
- Sophomore Owen Burke threw for a season-high 282 yards and matched his high with three TDs
- Senior Isaiah Frandsen recorded his third multi-TD game as a Warrior and first this season
- Sophomore running back Sam Santiago-Lloyd led the team in touches for the second straight week … totaled a season-high 79 rushing yards and 105 all-purpose yards
- Junior Romario Gayle hauled in his second interception of the year
- Sophomore Isaiah Hall led the defense with 10 tackles and a his second forced fumble of the year … recorded a season-high 107 return yards on four kickoffs |
| Up Next |
| Saturday, Sept. 22 vs. No. 2 Minnesota State – 1 p.m. |
#NSICFB