BISMARCK, ND – The Paddle Trophy will remain in the Red River Valley instead of coming back to the shores of the Missouri River. Hoping to once again reclaim the travelling trophy, the University of Mary instead fell 47-16 to visiting MSU Moorhead in Northern Sun football.
 
The 11^th Battle for the Paddle, the Marauders won the first seven meetings and eight times total. The Dragons captured the trophy in consecutive seasons for the first time and owns three wins in the series.
 
Behind a big day by quarterback Demetrius Carr, the Dragons (4-4 overall/NSIC, 2-2 NSIC North) offense proved fairly unstoppable on the day, reaching the end zone on seven of ten possessions. MSUM punted once and was forced into just a single turnover after averaging close to three a game.
 
The Marauders (1-7, 1-3) opened the game picking up a first down but was forced to punt the ball away after falling just a yard short of a second first down. Taking over at their own 36, the Dragons meticulously drove the field in 12 plays and scored on a 1-yard Stone Austin run.
 
Austin Bolton and Brayden Thomas combined to end the next MSUM possession. Bolton forced Stone to fumble with Thomas recovering the ball at the Dragons 46.
 
With the ball on the visitor's side, Mary attempted a pass on 4^th-and-5 but Colton Farmer's throw intended for Zack Graves was broken up.
 
Carr then took over the game. First the Dragons signal caller connected with Damon Gibson for a 10-yard scoring pass. Then, after Michael Strand picked off a Farmer pass near midfield, Carr scored on an 8-yard run for a 20-0 MSUM lead.
 
Needing a score to get back into the game, the Marauders embarked on perhaps their most impressive drive of the season. Starting at their own 19 yard line, Mary marched downfield and scored on a Zack Graves 1-yard run with 33 seconds left in the half. The epic 14-play 81-yard drive took eight minutes off the clock and allowed the Marauders to enter intermission trailing 20-7. The longest play was a 15-yard pass interference penalty on the Dragons. Otherwise all the plays were 9 yards or less.
 
A Zach Sweep 8-yard scoring run on the opening drive of the second half increased the Dragons lead to 27-7. Looking to match the score, the Marauders pulled out a trick play on 4^th-and-9 at the Dragons 20 yard line but the option pass by Zack Graves just missed Sam Mackedanz in the end zone.
 
The Dragons response was to go 80 yards in 10 plays and extend their lead to 34-7.
 
Mary's offense then came to life. Forced by injury to go to Nick McCann at quarterback, the sophomore came out firing. He hit five straight passes and ran three times for positive yards to set up a 31 yard field goal by Cody Goetz with six seconds left in the third quarter.
 
The Marauders next possession also resulted in a score. Keyed by receptions of 33, 4 and 17 yards by Mackedanz, McCann capped the drive with an 8-yard touchdown pass to Connor Graves to close the Mary deficit to 34-16.
 
Carr put the Marauders comeback hopes to bed with a 61-yard touchdown run on the Dragons subsequent possession. Colgrove later capped the day's scoring on a 2-yard touchdown run with 4:01 left in the game.
 
McCann finished the day 11-of-15 for 128 yards and a score in his first appearance behind center this year. Sam Saucedo caught five passes for 73 yards. Mackedanz had three catches for 54 yards. Zach Podoll had 38 yards rushing. Zack Graves added 30 yards rushing and 36 yards receiving on three catches.
 
Bolton posted double digit tackles for the fourth time this season, making 11 stops and forcing one fumble. Jacob Parker, Chris Kraft, Landon Smith and Danielle Whitaker all added six stops.
 
Carr ran for 143 yards and two TDs and passed for 166 yards and a score to lead the Dragons. Gibson had 10 catches for 131 yards and a score. Sweep ran for 56 yards and a touchdown and Colgrove had two TDs and 52 yards on the ground.
 
Joe Rademacher posted 13 tackles for MSUM. Ryan Dahleen had a sack and 2.5 tackles for loss.
 
The Marauders next host Northern State University on Oct. 29 at 1 pm in Mary's final home game of the season.
 
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