SATURDAY
After two straight road games, the University of Mary returns home to host MSU Moorhead in the 11th annual Battle for the Paddle. The two river city schools play for the Paddle Trophy when the Marauders take on the Dragons at 1:03 pm on Saturday, Oct. 22, at the MDU Resources Community Bowl.    

PADDLE TROPHY
The first-ever gridiron match-up between 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. 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... 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.

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

LAST YEAR
The Marauders finished the 2015 season 1-10 overall and in the Northern Sun and 1-6 in the NSIC North division... The Dragons went 6-5 overall and in the NSIC to finish tied for 7th in the league overall and was 5th in the NSIC North division at 3-4.

LAST TIME OUT
The Marauders went on the road to defeat the University of Minnesota Crookston 26-13... The Dragons lost 41-38 at home to St. Cloud State.  

NBC ND SPORTS NETWORK TO TELEVISE BATTLE FOR THE PADDLE
The 11th annual Battle for the Paddle between the University of Mary and visiting MSU Moorhead will be broadcast live throughout North Dakota on the NBC North Dakota Sports Network. The broadcast of the Northern Sun contest between the Marauders and the Dragons begins at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 22... The North Dakota NBC Sports Network stations televising the contest are KFYR-TV in Bismarck, KMOT-TV in Minot, KUMV-TV in Williston and KQCD-TV in Dickinson. Additionally the game will be on Me TV in Fargo. Calling the game is Wayne Wolff. Joining Wolff in the booth as color commentator is Mike McMahon, former Marauders football defensive coordinator and current Mary assistant vice president for Enrollment Services. Kaleigh Emery, the KFYR-TV weekend sports anchor and host of Marauders Weekly, is the sideline reporter.

MIDCO SPORTS TO AIR MARAUDERS-DRAGONS GAME TUESDAY
The Marauders-Dragons contest is this week's Midco Sports Game of the Week selection. The contest will air on MidcoSN on Tuesday, Oct. 25, at 9 pm. Daniel Gunderson will call the game for MidcoSN.   

HEAD COACHES
Josh Kotelnicki is in his third season as the head coach of the University of Mary. He is just the fifth varsity head coach in school history as the team begins its 29th season. Kotelnicki directed the Marauders to a 5-6 record in his first season in 2014 and is 7-22 lifetime (3rd year). Kotelnicki joined 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 6th season directing the MSUM program and had posted a 20-42 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 winning two state titles as head coach at Fargo Shanley High School. He led the Dragons to a 6-5 record last season, the school's first winning mark in nine seasons.

THE MARAUDERS-DRAGONS SERIES HISTORY: 2006: The Marauders and Dragons first met in the inaugural Paddle Trophy game with Mary pulling 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 Mary victory... 2007: Bayland Rippenkroger and Erik Kruse both scored two touchdowns in a 45-31 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. Mary outgained MSUM 379-250, including a 258-46 edge in rushing. The Marauders forced six turnovers and committed one... 2010: Craig Bagnell passed for two TDs and Jamal Lomax ran for 169 yards and two TDs in a 43-17 Marauders win. John Oyloe has two of UM's four sacks. The Marauders had a 194-40 edge in rushing... 2011: Tyler Steffan tied his school record with four TD receptions and the Marauders set a school record 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 TDs, all in the 3rd quarter, and Evan Gross ran for 107. Bagnell was 24-of-35 for 319 and four TDs... 2012: Bagnell threw for 189 yards and a TD and the Marauders defense limited the Dragons to 225 yards in a 23-7 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: Mary lost the Paddle Trophy for the first time in a 48-41 road loss. Down 27 points in the 1st half, the Marauders rallied for a 41-41 tie in the 4th quarter. MSUM won the game on the next possession when backup QB Ryan Toelle hit Adam Jiskra for a 39 yard TD catch. MSUM outgained Mary 582-522. Bagnell was 34-of-57 for 399 yards, 5 TDs and one INT. Nick Jolliffe caught 12 passes for 148 yards and two TDs. 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. Grant Singer posted 15 tackles for Mary... 2014 Zach Roberson completed 27-of-45 passes for 460 yards and a school record-tying six touchdowns plus ran for a TD in a 52-45 Mary home win. Roberson earned NSIC Offensive Player of the Week honors for his efforts. Dragons QB Demetrius Carr ran for 208 yards and passed for 188 and rallied MSUM from a 44-17 deficit to a 45-44 lead. Roberson hit Elby Pope for a 45-yard TD to win the game with 4:26 remaining. Pope caught 11-169-2. Jake East went 7-93-2 and Myron Baldoz-McArn was 4-87-1. Troy Guptill had 2.0 sacks - both on MSUM's final drive of the game - and 4.0 TFL. Preston Tescher added 12 tackles. The squads combined for 1,095 yards of offense... 2015 MSUM's Kayne Griffith bolted 72 yards for a TD on the third play of the game and Preston Prince dashed 62 yards for the score on the first ply of the next Dragons possession in a 37-0 MSUM home win. Caleb Buck passed for 128 yards for the Marauders, Preston Tescher made a career-high 17 tackles and Seth Walton added 13 stops. Herman Grey ran for 108 yards and a TD to lead MSUM and Griffith added 97.

PAST MARAUDERS-DRAGONS MEETINGS (Mary leads 8-2)
2006     Mary 21             MSUM 20             Bismarck, ND
2007     Mary 42             MSUM 31             Moorhead, MN
2008     Mary 24             MSUM 17 OT     Bismarck, ND
2009     Mary 39             MSUM 13             Moorhead, MN
2010     Mary 43             MSUM 17             Bismarck, ND
2011     Mary 52             MSUM 13             Moorhead, MN
2012     Mary 23             MSUM 7             Bismarck, ND
2013    MSUM 48        Mary 41                Moorhead, MN
2014    Mary 52            MSUM 45            Bismarck, ND
2015    MSUM 37        Mary 0                Moorhead, MN         

QUICK LOOK AT THE MSU MOORHEAD DRAGONS
After posting their first winning season last year in nine seasons, the Dragons hope to repeat the trick again this season. After a tough 41-38 loss to St. Cloud State last week, MSUM is 3-4 with four weeks remaining. One of the best team at forcing turnovers, the Dragons also give the ball away at an impressive pace. MSUM has forced 17 turnovers, the second-most in the NSIC. However, the Dragons have also turned the ball over themselves 17 times, the third-highest number in the NSIC. MSUM is also fairly even steven in scoring, posting 212 points while allowing 210. Soph. Austin Stone has rushed for 648 yards and six touchdowns for MSUM while Jr. QB Demitrius Carr has thrown for 1,394 yards and 16 TDs. Damon Gibson has caught 52 passes for 924 yards and 10 TDs while Cory Ambrose has caught 29 passes for 408  yards and six TDs. Jr. LB Abe Roehrich has a team-high 57 tackles to go with two sacks and two interceptions. Soph. S Michael Strand has 52 tackles and two interceptions, while Sr. Aaron Bohl has 49 tackles and 3.5 sacks. Sr. DL Ryan Dahleen also has 3.5 sacks.

REWIND: Mary 26 Minnesota Crookston 13
Two fourth-quarter touchdowns lifted the University of Mary to a 26-13 victory, spoiling the Minnesota Crookston homecoming. The Marauders offense generated a season-high 400 yards of offense while the defense allowed a season-low 280 yards to the Golden Eagles. Colton Farmer passed for 152 yards and two TDs and ran for 44 yards and a score. Zack Graves ran for 96 yards and sealed the game with a 16 yd scoring run with 6:28 to play, the final points of the day. Zach Podoll added 66 yards rushing as the Marauders pounded out 246 yards on the ground. The Marauders scored first after tackling the UMC punter at the 1 yard line. One play later Farmer ran into the end zone. Mary went ahead 13-6 in the 3rd quarter on a 15-yard TD pass from Farmer to Connor Graves. After UMC again tied the game, Mary took the led for good when Farmer hit Sam Mackedanz on a 27-yard TD pass on the first play of the fourth quarter. Brady Zittleman sealed the win for the Marauders with an interception with 4:54 remaining in the game. The Mary offense then ran the clock out. Zittleman posted a team-high seven tackles and broke up two passes. The Marauders blocked two kicks in the game. Connor Graves caught four passes for 60 yards. Podoll also had two catches for 31 yards. Nathan Cole led UMC with 219 yards passing. Adam Connette had seven catches for 94 yards. Will Cross posted 18 tackles and William Cole 13.

BROTHER BATTLE
Two brothers from the Capital City will be on opposite sides of the ball during the Battle for the Paddle. Marauders slotback Brennan Doan, a junior from Bismarck, ND, is the older brother of Dragons safety Aaron Doan. Both played high school football at Century.

FARM TOUGH
Sophomore Colton Farmer became the third starting quarterback in three games for the Marauders when he went under center against St. Cloud State. The native of The Woodlands, TX, saw considerable action at Southwest Minnesota State earlier in the year and ran for a TD against the Mustangs. After throwing a TD pass at SCSU, he followed up with  two scoring strikes and a rushing TD in the Marauders 26-13 win at Minnesota Crookston. He competed 11-of-16 passes for 154 yards and ran for another 44 yards. The other two Marauders starting quarterbacks - junior Ben Jolliffe and redshirt freshman Garrett Weissinger - are out for the rest of the season due to injury.


DOUBLE TROUBLE
Brothers Zack and Connor Graves both had big days in the Marauders win over Minnesota Crookston as each one scored a touchdown. Both seniors, older brother Zack ran for 96 yards, including a 36-yard dash on the Marauders final scoring drive to set up his 16-yard scoring run. He later ripped off a 13-yard gain on the Marauders final possession as Mary successfully ran off the final 4:54 of the game. Zack also returned three kicks for 89 yards, including a 39-yard return to open the second half. Connor caught four passes for 60 yards, including a 15-yard touchdown pass on Mary's opening possession of the second half. A slotback, it was Connor's first collegiate touchdown.

MACK ATTACK
A two-sport athlete at Mary, Sam Mackedanz has caught touchdown passes in consecutive games. The sophomore WR hauled in a 17-yard scoring strike from Colton Farmer against SCSU and scored the winning touchdown on a 27-yard pass from Farmer against Minnesota Crookston. A high jumper for the men's track team, the Richmond, MN, native hit NCAA provisional qualifying marks for both indoors and outdoors last year and posted the highest effort among Northern Sun athletes (6' 8.75") during the outdoor season.

BLOCK PARTY
With two more blocked kicks against Minnesota Crookston, the University of Mary is tied for the most kicks blocked in the country with an impressive eight. Tanner Court deflected a UMC punt and Daniel Hudrlik was credited with blocking a Golden Eagles extra point attempt that kept the contest knotted 6-6. Junior defensive tackle Brock Pittsley leads the Marauders and the NSIC with two blocks and is ranked eighth in the nation.

DISCIPLINE
Mary is 4th in NCAA Division II in fewest penalties per game (3.71) and 5th in fewest penalty yards per game (31.3), and leads the NSIC in both categories.

T.O.P.
One reason the Marauders moved to the triple option was to control the clock and it has proved successful. Mary is 8th nationally and 2nd in the NSIC in time of possession, holding the ball for 34:41 a game compared to its opposition's total of 25:19. In the UMC win, the Marauders held the ball for 36:33. In the last three quarters, Mary's offense possessed the ball for 29:36 to 15:24 for UMC.

THE MARK OF ZITTLEMAN
Brady Zittleman played the game of his Marauders career against UMC, leaving his mark all across the field. The JR DB preserved Mary's victory by intercepting a pass to end UMC's final possession of the game. On the day he had one interception, seven tackles and two passes defensed.

INTERIOR REDESIGN
Defensive tackle Brock Pittsley play a big role in the Marauders limiting the Golden Eagles to 61 yards rushing and 14 first downs. The junior from Killdeer had a sack and four tackles.