BISMARCK, ND – It was boom or bust in the opening Northern Sun North Division contest of the season between the homestanding University of Mary and Bemidji State University. After the Marauders defenses busted several of the early Beavers possessions, Bemidji State hit on a couple booms of the sonic variety in a BSU 52-3 win over Mary.
The Marauders (0-5 overall and NSIC / 0-1 NSIC North) defense caused several early issues for the Beavers (4-1 / 1-0), who entered the game receiving the 26
th most votes in the country in the AFCA top 25 ranking. Mary forced Bemidji State to commit three turnovers and punt twice in its first seven possessions. Unfortunately on the other two possessions the Beavers scored long touchdowns for the only points BSU needed on the day.
After BSU picked up a first down on the first offensive play of the game, the Mary defense held strong and forced the Beavers to punt four plays later. On the Beavers next drive,
Landon Smith recovered a fumble at the Marauders 38 yard line.
On the third possession of the game the Beavers reached paydirt. After
Bailey Meyer's punt was downed at the visitor's 6-yard line, BSU was flagged for two many men in the huddle and were backed up to their own 3-yard line. Soon facing a 3
rd-and-2 deep in their territory own, the Beavers struck for their first big play when Gena Adams jetted 86 yards for a score and a 6-0 lead at 8:17 of the first quarter.
Defensive pressure by Mary continued to slow one of the top offenses in the Northern Sun. A second down sack by
Chris Kraft led to BSU's second punt of the game. After the Marauders drive stalled at the visitor's 39-yard line, the Beavers took over at the Mary 22. Two major penalties by the Marauders – pass interference and a personal foul – set up a 35 yard scoring pass from Jordan Hein to Vince Dinkel for a 12-0 BSU lead with 13:07 left in the half.
Two more Beavers turnovers sidelined the Beavers offense. First a Bailey punt bounced off a Beavers blocker and was recovered by Marauders senior team captain
Zach Podoll, ending a BSU possession before it event started. The next BSU possession ended when
Danielle Whitaker, also a senior team captain for Mary, intercepted a tipped pass at the Mary 44.
The hopes of the Marauders entering intermission down just twelve points faded late when the Beavers scored with 17 seconds on the clock as Hein connected with Juwaan Richard on a 32-yard touchdown pass.
The Beavers put the game away by scoring on their first five possessions of the second half. Adams and Hein both ran for scores and Michael Washington scored three times for BSU.
Keyed by a couple big plays by Podoll, the Marauders closed out the scoring on a 33 yard field goal by
Cody Goetz with 5:47 remaining in the game. Podoll caught a 12-yard pass and ran for 18 yards during the 13-play 49 yard drive.
Podoll led the Marauders with 63 yards rushing. He also had 12 yards receiving and a fumble recovery. Graves added 15 yards rushing and
Garrett Weissinger has 12. Weissinger, a redshirt freshman making his first collegiate start, also passed for 36 yards.
Kraft led the Marauders with 10 tackles, including eight solo stops. The Bismarck, ND, freshman had the squad's lone sack. Whitaker had seven solo tackles and eight total while intercepting his second pass of the season.
Austin Bolton also made eight tackles.
Adams led BSU with 179 yards rushing and two scores. Hein carried for 101 yards and passed for 174. Washington chipped in 82 yards and three touchdowns.
After playing two straight home games, the Marauders now go on the road for two consecutive weeks. The Marauders next play at St. Cloud State on Oct. 8.
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