ST. CLOUD, Minn. –
Elby Pope and
Zach Roberson left big impressions on the University of Mary record book today but the duo couldn't lead the Marauders back from a second straight double digit halftime deficit. U-Mary exploded for 34 second-half points but finished the season with a 55-44 loss at St. Cloud State University.
In the last game of his career, Pope became the Marauders all-time career leader in receptions (193) and reception yardage (2,781) after catching 11 passes for 199 yards and two touchdowns. It was the fourth straight game he has hauled in double-digit catches and triple-digit yardage.
Seth Maier held the U-Mary reception record with 191 catches. Jake Pfau held the yardage mark with 2,682.
Roberson became the first U-Mary player to throw for over 500 yards in a game. The junior signal caller completed 40-of-64 passes for 505 yards and five touchdowns and no interceptions. It was the fourth straight game he has thrown for over 400 yards. The Sonora, Calif., native set school single game records for attempts, completions and passing yards in a game.
The previous school record for attempts in a game was 59 by Henry Lau against Wayne State College on Nov. 8, 2008. The completion record was 34 by Lau in the Wayne State game and by
Craig Bagnell. Bagnell twice completed 34 passes in a game, the last time at MSU Moorhead on Oct. 26, 2013. The yardage record was 473 by Tim Garcia against Valley City State in 2002.
A week ago the Marauders fell behind 34-7 at intermission in a 53-35 road loss at #2 University of Minnesota Duluth. Today's game followed a similar pattern as U-Mary trailed 34-10 at the break.
The Marauders, who started clicking late in the first half when
VaShawn Pope caught a 3-yard scoring pass from Roberson with 1:44 remaining before intermission, struck quickly coming out of the locker room with the use of some trickeration.
U-Mary succeeded on an onside kick to start the second half with senior
Lukas Katers recovering the ball at the Marauders 48 yard line. Eleven plays later Roberson pushed his way into the end zone from the 1 yard line.
After SCSU then immediately drove the field and scored on a Jaden Huff 18 yard run to increase the Huskies lead to 41-16, the Marauders scored on their next two possessions.
Elby Pope concluded the first drive with an 11-yard touchdown catch from Roberson, capping a 12-play, 74-yard journey.
Troy Guptill ended the Huskies next possession with a third down sack of SCSU quarterback Nate Meyer to force a punt. Ten plays later, Roberson lofted a 20-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver
Myron Baldoz-McArn on the final snap of the third quarter to pull U-Mary within 41-30.
The offensive onslaught for both teams continued in the fourth quarter. Following a Meyer 9-yard scoring run on the Huskies next possession, Pope caught a 65-yard touchdown pass from Roberson on the first play of the next U-Mary drive to pull within 12 points.
The two teams would again trade touchdowns. After Meyers found Matt Hentges on a 13-yard touchdown pass, the Marauders went 54 yards in five plays to score. Keyed by a 31-yard
Elby Pope reception, senior wide receiver
Jake East pulled down a 10-yard touchdown pass from Roberson with 6:03 left in the game. A 2-point conversion on a Roberson to
Joey Vrooman pass cut the Marauders deficit to 55-44.
It would be the last time the Marauders touched the ball. After SCSU recovered the onside kick attempt, the Huskies gained three first downs and ran out the clock.
All three U-Mary senior receivers posted strong numbers in their final game. Baldoz-McArn caught seven passes for 90 yards and one touchdown. East had similar numbers with seven catches for 99 yards and one score.
The 199 yards receiving by
Elby Pope was a career-high and the most by a U-Mary receiver since Tyler Steffan had 202 receiving yards against Bemidji State on Oct. 22, 2011. In his last four games, the Grand Forks, N.D., native recorded 43 catches for 680 yards and six touchdowns. He ends the season with 74 catches for 1,048 yards and 10 touchdown receptions and is just the fourth U-Mary receiver to crack 1,000 receiving in a single season.
Three U-Mary defenders posted ten tackles;
Lukas Katers (four solo),
Preston Tescher (six solo) and
Austin Bolton (two solo). It was the third straight game Bolton has reached double digits and the third time in four games for Tescher.
Guptill recorded two tackles for loss, including a sack. The Marauders all-time leader in tackles for loss with 51, he tied
John Oyloe for second all-time in sacks with 27.5.
SCSU posted 304 yards rushing, led by Huff with 128 and three scores. Starlin-Merriam added 121.
Meyer completed 18-of-20 passes for 232 yards and two scores. He also ran for 41 yards and a score.
Defensively Keyshawn Davis led the Huskies with 11 tackles and four pass break-ups. He also blocked two kicks.
Overall U-Mary totaled 524 yards of offense and 24 first downs. SCSU had 536 yards, 27 first downs and 37:34 minutes of possession.
U-Mary finishes the season 5-6 overall and in the Northern Sun and 3-4 in the Northern Sun North Division. SCSU is 6-5 overall and 5-2.
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