CROOKSTON, MN – Playing their best game of the season on both sides of the ball, the University of Mary football team ruined homecoming for the University of Minnesota Crookston with a 26-13 Marauders victory.
 
Colton Farmer led the Marauders to their first win of the season. The sophomore quarterback tossed two touchdown passes and ran for one score in his second career start. Farmer threw for 152 yards and ran for 44.
 
A potent Marauders running attack, especially effective at the end of the game while keeping the ball out of the Golden Eagles talons, racked up 246 of Mary's 400 total yards. Zack Graves ran for 96 yards and a score while fellow senior Zach Podoll chipped in 66 while pounding away at the middle of the UMC defense. The run game allowed the Marauders to keep possession of the ball for 36:33 of the game to just 23:27 for the Golden Eagles.
 
Defensively the Marauders allowed the Golden Eagles just 14 first downs, 61 yards rushing and 280 yards of total offense. UMC was only 4-of-14 on third down attempts.
 
A costly miscue by UMC allowed Mary to open the scoring. With the Golden Eagles facing a 4^th down at their own 14 yard line and set to punt, Eric Knutson and Luther Missoh crashed through the line and dropped the UMC punter for a 13 yard loss at the 1 yard line. On the next play, Farmer ran into into the end zone for a 6-0 Mary lead at 1:17 left in the opening quarter.
 
UMC found its own big play midway through the second quarter when Nathan Cole found Rod Stewart for a 58 yard scoring strike with 4:53 remaining in the opening half. The Golden Eagles point after attempt also failed and the teams were deadlocked 6-6 at half.
 
Nothing was resolved in the third quarter as both teams found the end zone. Mary took the lead first in part to another UMC mistake. After seemingly stopping the Marauders on fourth down, Mary retained possession when the home team was called for a personal foul. On the next play, Farmer found Connor Graves for a 15 yard touchdown pass and a 13-6 lead. UMC then took the resulting kickoff and drove 65 yards on 11 plays to knot the score when Andre Person scored on a 15 yard run.
 
The Marauders then dominated the fourth quarter, starting with a scoring pass on the first play of the final period. For the second straight game, Farmer connected with Sam Mackedanz for a touchdown pass, this time covering 27 yards, and Mary was in front 20-13.
 
Defensively the Marauders turned up the pressure, allowing the Golden Eagles just a single first down on their next two possessions. Junior defensive tackle Brock Pittsley ended the second UMC drive with a third down sack.
 
Featuring big plays by Zack Graves, the Marauders extended their lead with a 77- yard scoring drive. Graves busted a 36-yard run to put the Mary in scoring position and capped the drive with a 16 yard touchdown run with 6:28 left in the game, extending the Marauders advantage to 26-13.
 
Not fading away, UMC kept attacking. Cole hit Adam Connette on a 33-yard pass to put UMC at the Mary 24 yard line. Three plays later, though, Brady Zittleman ended the Golden Eagles fading hopes when he intercepted the ball at the Marauders 12 yard line.
 
With just 4:54 remaining in the game, Graves and Podoll took over and the Marauders recorded three first down to run out the clock. Graves busted for 13 yards on the first play and Podoll gained 24 yards on six carries. 
 
Farmer completed 11-of-16 passes for 154 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Connor Graves led the team with four catches for 60 yards and a score. Podoll added two catches for 31 yards to go with his 66 yards rushing. Sam Saucedo also had two grabs for 26 yards.
 
Zack Graves added a punt return for 39 yards and returned two kicks for 50 yards to his 96 yards rushing.
 
In addition to the interception, Zittleman also broke up two other passes and led the team with seven tackles. Chris Kraft added six stops. Pittlesy had four tackles and the sack. Riley Riehl and Brody Peterson also combined for a sack.
 
Second in the country in blocked kicks, the Marauders added two more to the total. Tanner Court was credited with one of the blocks.
 
Will Cross led the Golden Eagles in tackles with 18 and William Cole added 10.
 
Nathan Cole was 18-of-34 passing for 219 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Connette caught seven passes for 94 yards and Stewart had four for 76. Person ran for 65 yards.
 
After spending the last two weeks on the road, the Marauders return home to start a two-game home stand against MSU Moorhead in the Battle for the Paddle on Saturday, Oct. 22. Game time is 1 pm at the MDU Resources Community Bowl.
 
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