SATURDAY
The University of Mary looks to recapture the Paddle Trophy this weekend when the Marauders host the MSU Moorhead Dragons in the ninth Battle for the Paddle. Kickoff is set for 1:05 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 25, at the MDU Resources Bowl in Bismarck, N.D.

PADDLE TROPHY
The first-ever gridiron match-up between U-Mary and Minnesota State University Moorhead took on a little extra edge in 2006 as both schools battled for The Paddle Trophy in this "River Rivalry" game. U-Mary is located on the Missouri River and MSU Moorhead is on the Red River. Both are Northern Sun North Division rivals... The Paddle Trophy was developed by the student governments of the two colleges. The team that wins each year is responsible for the safekeeping and delivery of the Paddle Trophy and its case to each game between the Marauders and Dragons. The home team's student body representative will award the Paddle Trophy, which has each school's logo on opposite sides of the blade, with the score of each game being added to the winning team's side after the game... U-Mary won the first seven paddle games, grabbing initial possession with a 21-20 win in Bismarck in 2006. Marauders linebacker Brian Finnegan preserved the initial U-Mary win when he deflected a Dragons pass on a two-point conversion attempt with 1:08 remaining in the game. MSUM captured the paddle in 2013 for the first time with a 48-41 win.

PADDLE BATTLE LIVE ON NBC NORTH DAKOTA SPORTS NETWORK'S ME-TV
The 9th Battle for the Paddle between the Marauders and the Dragons will air live on the NBC North Dakota Sports Network's Me-TV in Bismarck (over-the-air channel 5.3), Minot (10.3), Williston (8.3), Dickinson (7.3) and Fargo (11.2). Also check your local cable listings for Me-TV. KFYR-TV sports director Lee Timmerman handles the play by play duties and Mike McMahon, the former Marauders defensive coordinator and the U-Mary asst. vice president for enrollment, will handle the color commentary. Working the sidelines is Marisa DeCandido, the KFYR-TV weekend sports anchor and host of "Marauders Weekly."  

THE RECORDS
The Marauders are 4-3 overall and in the Northern Sun and 2-1 in NSIC North Division  games... The Dragons are 1-6 overall and in the Northern Sun and 0-3 in the NSIC North.

LAST TIME OUT
The Marauders knocked off the University of Minnesota Crookston 17-10 on the road... The Dragons lost 55-27 at home to St. Cloud State as the Huskies scored the final 28 points of the game.  

LAST YEAR
U-Mary finished 6-5 overall in the NSIC (5th place) and 4-3 (3rd) in the NSIC North. It was the first winning season for the Marauders since 2007 and the 17th in 26 seasons of U-Mary football… MSU Moorhead finished 4-7 overall/NSIC to place 10th in the NSIC. MSUM was 4-3 in NSIC North play to finish 3rd.

HEAD COACHES
Josh Kotelnicki is just the fifth varsity head coach at the University of Mary as the Marauders begin their 27th season. Kotelnicki comes to U-Mary after serving as the associate head coach at NCAA FCS University of North Dakota for two seasons (2012-13) and as UND's defensive coordinator in 2013. A native of Litchfield, Minn., Kotelnicki won an NCAA Division II title as a player at North Dakota and has been on winning teams as a coach at the NCAA FBS, FCS, and Division II levels. After starting his coaching career at UND, he has also worked at Murray State, Truman State, and NCAA FBS Kansas State before returning to UND... Steve Laqua became the 17th head coach in the 93-year history of Dragons football prior to the 2011 season. A native of Cavalier, N.D., and a 2000 graduate of North Dakota State University, Laqua is in his 4th season directing the MSUM program and had posted a 8-32 record. After graduating from NDSU, he was a graduate assistant coach for the Bison before working at St. Olaf and the University of Minnesota Crookston. Laqua returned to NDSU for two seasons before becoming the head coach at Fargo Shanley High School, where he won two Class AA state titles.

THE MARAUDERS-DRAGONS SERIES HISTORY (U-Mary leads 7-1)
2006: The Marauders and Dragons first met in the inaugural Paddle Trophy game with U-Mary eking out a 21-20 win despite throwing five interceptions, including a string of four in four pass attempts. Justin Fleck ran for 96 yards and two touchdowns and Matt Wall had seven catches for 140 yards and a score. MSUM scored with 1:08 left in the game but went for a two point conversion and the win. Brian Finnegan tipped the pass in the end zone to preserve the lead and the U-Mary victory... 2007: Bayland Rippenkroger and Erik Kruse both scored two touchdowns in a 45-31 U-Mary road win... 2008: Another close home game went the Marauders way when Jamal Lomax scored in overtime, his second touchdown of the day. Phil Thomas secured the win when he knocked down a Dragons fourth down pass attempt on the final play of the game... 2009: Cameron Gatling ran for 184 yards and caught two scoring passes as the Marauders rolled to a 39-13 road win. U-Mary outgained MSUM 379-250, including a 258-46 edge in rushing. The Marauders forced six turnovers and committed one... 2010: Four touchdown passes by Craig Bagnell and 169 yards rushing and two touchdowns from Jamal Lomax ensured the Paddle Trophy would remain in the U-Mary trophy case as the Marauders routed MSU Moorhead 43-17. The Marauders led 28-0 at intermission. John Oyloe recorded two of U-Mary's four sacks. The Marauders held a 194 to 40 advantage in rushing yards, led 395-317 in total yards and had a 34:11-to-24:52 edge in time of possession... 2011: Tyler Steffan caught four touchdown passes to tie his own school record and the Marauders set a school mark with 683 yards of offense in a 52-13 win. Steffan caught nine passes for 123 yards. Josh Murray ran for 216 yards on 16 carries and scored three touchdowns, all in the 3rd quarter, and Evan Gross ran for 107. Bagnell was 24-of-35 for 319 and four TDs... 2012:
Craig Bagnell returned after missing three games due to injury and threw for 189 yards and a score and the Marauders defense limited the Dragons to 225 yards in a 23-7 U-Mary home win. Dariouse Gravely ran for 42 yards and two TDs and Tyler Steffan had four catches for 80 yards. Grant Singer posted 3.5 tackles for loss and John Oyloe had 3.0, including two sacks. MSUM's Jake Hodge was 19-of-38 for 202 yards and one TD but was sacked four times... 2013:U-Mary lost the Paddle Trophy for the first time in a 48-41 shootout at MSU Moorhead. Trailing by 27 points in the first half, the Marauders rallied to tie the game 41-41 with 9:29 remaining on a Nick Jolliffe 16-yard TD reception from Craig Bagnell. The Dragons won the game on a 39-yard scoring strike from  backup QB Ryan Toelle to Adam Jiskra with 6:50 on the clock. U-Mary compiled 31 1st downs and 522 yards. MSUM had 582 yards. Bagnell was 34-of-57 for 399 yards, 5 TDs and one INT. Jolliffe caught 12 passes for 148 yards and two TDs. For MSU, Jiskra posted a line of 7-131-2 and Cory Ambrose was at 7-136-1. Jake Hodge was 15-of-25 for 301 and three TDs. He also ran for two TDs. Gramt Singer posted 15 tackles for U-Mary.

PAST MARAUDERS-DRAGONS MEETINGS (UM leads 7-1)
2006     U-Mary 21         MSUM 20             Bismarck, ND
2007     U-Mary 42         MSUM 31             Moorhead, MN
2008     U-Mary 24         MSUM 17 OT     Bismarck, ND
2009     U-Mary 39         MSUM 13             Moorhead, MN
2010     U-Mary 43         MSUM 17             Bismarck, ND
2011     U-Mary 52         MSUM 13             Moorhead, MN
2012     U-Mary 23         MSUM 7             Bismarck, ND
2013    MSUM 48        U-Mary 41            Moorhead, MN     

QUICK LOOK AT THE MSU MOORHEAD DRAGONS
MSU Moorhead possesses one of the best offenses in the Northern Sun. The Dragons average 29 points per game and are 4th in passing offense (286.1 yards/game) and total offense (478) and 5th in rushing offense (191.9). However the Dragons defense is on the other end of the spectrum. MSUM ranks last in scoring defense (54.3 points/game), pass defense (315 yards/game), total defense (579.3) and 15th out of 16 teams in run defense (264.3). JR WR Adam Jiskra became the Dragons career leader in receiving yardage last week with 2,468. He is second all-time in receptions with 160. For the season he has 53 grabs for 837 yards and six scores. Fellow WR Corey Ambrose has 37 catches for 399 yards and six TDs. Triggering the Dragons attack is JR QB Jake Hodge, who has completed 134-of-244 passes for 1,666 yards, 13 TDs and seven interceptions. Hodge also has run for 536 yards and five TDs. Hodge was hurt in the loss to St. Cloud State on Saturday and was replaced by Demetrius Carr, who was the first NSIC Offensive Player of the Week in 2013 before getting injured. R-Fr. S Abe Roehrich has 60 tackles and an interception to lead the defense,
while soph. LB Aaron Bohl has 58 tackles. Soph. CB Sheldon Jones has 53 tackles, nine pass breakups and an interception. JR CB Chris Binford has three interceptions.

WEEK SEVEN REWIND: Marauders 17 Golden Eagles 10
Vince Ferrante ran for a career-high 136 yards and a touchdown and the University of Mary ground out a 17-10 road win over the University of Minnesota Crookston. The Marauders ran for 229 yards, the most by U-Mary since the squad posted the same total against Southwest Minnesota State University on September 15, 2012. U-Mary also passed for 188 yards and totaled 417 yards of offense on 74 plays. Defensively U-Mary held UMC to 265 yards, including 100 yards rushing. It was the second fewest yards allowed by the Marauders defense this season and the fewest points given up. UMC scored first on a Adam Connette 44-yard touchdown reception. After consecutive U-Mary drives ended with a missed field goal and a fumble on the goal line, Brody Riggs hit a potential school-record 50 yard field goal four seconds before intermission. U-Mary dominated the third quarter, producing two touchdowns and rolling up 161 yards to 49 for UMC. Ferrante scored on a 5-yard run to cap the opening drive of the second half and Ben Jolliffe later connected with Jake East on a 13-yard TD pass following an interception by Jacob Parker for a 17-7 lead. UMC would drive into the U-Mary red zone twice but converted just a single field goal.  
In addition to Ferrante's 136 yards, Dariouse Gravely added 68. Jolliffe completed 14-of-25 passes for 188 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He also ran for 36 yards. East made four receptions for 81 yards and a score with a long of 35 yards. Parker had seven stops - five solo - and an interception. Tyler Kist added a team-high 1.5 tackles for loss. Connette paced the Golden Eagles offense with six catches for 92 yards and a score. Buchulz threw for 115 yards and a TD. Talo Pascal ran for 50 yards. Greg Lofquist registered a game-high 15 tackles for UMC and has moved ahead of Grant Singer as the leading tackler in the NSIC. Derek Greene led all players with 2.5 tackles for loss.

TWO TRAVELING TROPHIES
The Marauders play two games annually for travelling trophies and the contests have brought out the best in U-Mary. Combined the Marauders are 9-1 in trophy games. The Marauders are 7-1 in the "Battle for the Paddle" with MSU Moorhead and 2-0 in the "Battle for the Lake" against Minot State.

WORKHORSE
SR RB Vince Ferrante posted a season-high 136 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries plus caught a 12 yard pass in the Marauders 17-10 win at Minnesota Crookston. At one stretch in the fourth quarter he carried the ball on five straight plays as U-Mary was looking to run out the clock. It was the first time a U-Mary runner cracked the century mark since Ferrante ran for 124 last season at Northern State on 11.2.13. It was the most yards gained by a U-Mary player since Darious Gravely posted 150 at Southwest Minnesota State on Sept. 15, 2012.

PAVING THE WAY
Behind the veteran offensive line of seniors Don Pask, Michael Mortenson and Jeremiah Herman and juniors Nolan LaValley and Deon Paulson, the Marauders posted 229 yards rushing at Minnesota Crookston, the most for U-Mary since the squad ran for 229 at Southwest Minnesota State on Sept. 12, 2012. Behind this line the Marauders have captured the time of possession battle and out-rushed the opposition in five of seven games. In addition to the season-high rushing total, the Marauders held the ball for 12:44 longer than the Golden Eagles (36:22 to 23:38).

50
R-Fr. K Brody Riggs blasted a 50 yard field goal through the uprights with four seconds remaining in the first half at Minnesota Crookston on Saturday, Oct. 18. The kick started a 17-point run for the Marauders in a 17-10 win. The field goal is the longest for the Marauders since U-Mary joined the Northern Sun and NCAA Division II in 2006 (the previous long was 43 yards by Tyler Ryan in 2010). While the Marauders have has several tremendous kickers in school history, including All-American Jeremy Polson and Jason Buono, no record is mentioned of longest field goal. If you know of an equal or longer kick by a U-Mary player, please contact us!

PARKER PICKS
R-FR CB Jacob Parker posted interceptions each of the last two games, the first of his collegiate career. The Marauders turned both interceptions into touchdowns and U-Mary defeated both Minot State and Minnesota Crookston. He also tied for the team lead in tackles with seven at UMC.  

MR. HANDYMAN
SR All-NSIC WR/KR Elby Pope has done everything for the Marauders this season: caught passes, ran the ball, passed the ball, returned punts and kickoffs, and covered kicks on special teams. He is 4th in the nation in punt return average (20.1 yards/return) and 80th in all-purpose yardage (127.0 yards/game). Pope has 31 catches for 368 yards and four TDs, has a team-high five TDs, caught a 2-point conversion, ran the ball seven times for 29 yards, completed his lone pass attempt for 51 yards, is averaging 19.1 yards/kick return, has three tackles (two solo) and a fumble recovery. For his career The Grand Forks, N.D., native now has 2,101 receiving yards to trail just Jake Pfau (2,682 career yards), Tyler Steffan (2,494) and Seth Maier (2,421). With 150 catches Pope is 4th all-time, behind Maier (191), Steffan (163) and Pfau (161).

NICK JOLLIFFE OUT
Senior team captain and wide receiver Nick Jolliffe broke his arm at the University of Minnesota Crookston on Saturday and is out for the season. The All-NSIC North performer finishes the season with 31 catches for 362 yards and four TDs. He finishes his career with 135 catches for 1,736 yards and 23 touchdowns. Jolliffe is 5th in school history in receptions, 7th in receiving yards, tied for 3rd in receiving TDs and 6th in total TDs.

SINGER SURGES PAST 300 TACKLES
All-American linebacker Grant Singer, who joins Toby Schweitzer as the only U-Mary players with over 300 tackles, is second in the Northern Sun and 9th in NCAA D2 with 12.4 tackles per game. With a season-low seven tackles at Minnesota Crookston, Singer's streak of double digit tackles halts at eight. The senior team captain has 342 career tackles. Schweitzer, who played 1988-91, made 410.

CLEAN LAUNDRY
U-Mary is 1st in the NSIC and 5th in the NCAA in fewest penalty yards/game (33.6) and 1st in the NSIC and 5th in the NCAA in fewest penalties/game (4.0).  

GUPTILL SETS CAREER TACKLE FOR LOSS RECORD
Since setting the U-Mary career record for tackles for loss with a sack in the third game of the season, SR DE Troy Guptill is maintaining a slight edge over teammate Grant Singer (44.5 to 44). Guptill, who has 6.5 sacks and 8.5 TFL this season, is 4th all-time with 24 career sacks.