THIS WEEK
For the first time this season, the University of Mary takes on a team from the Northern Sun's South Division when the Marauders visit the University of Sioux Falls on Saturday, Oct. 4. Kickoff between the Marauders and the Cougars is 1 pm at Bob Young Field in Sioux Falls, SD.   

THE RECORDS/LAST WEEK
The Marauders (0-4 overall/NSIC | 0-4 NSIC North) lost 47-32 at MSU Moorhead in the Battle for the Paddle... Sioux Falls (2-2 overall/NSIC | 2-2 NSIC South) lost 20-13 to Augustana for the Key to the City. 

SOUTH SEAS
After facing Northern Sun North Division opposition the first four weeks of the season, the Marauders now begin a four-week stretch of playing teams from the NSIC South. After facing Sioux Falls this weekend, the Marauders host Upper Iowa for Homecoming on Oct 12, visit nationally-ranked Minnesota State on Oct. 19 and return to Bismarck to face Wayne State College on Oct. 26. 

BEEN A COUPLE YEARS
Due to the every-other-year format in the NSIC for facing teams from the other division, the last time the Marauders faced Sioux Falls, Upper Iowa, Minnesota State and Wayne State was in 2017... The last time the Marauders played in Sioux Falls and Mankato, MN, was in 2015. 

VELARDE RETURNS
Playing for the first time since he was injured in the second game of the 2018 season, junior quarterback Jordan Velarde led the Marauders offense to 32 points. He passed for 252 yards and two touchdowns while completing 19-of-34 passes. Velarde also caught a 2-point conversion.

ALL AROUND AWESOME
After a pair of big weekends, Danny Kittner has proved to be a dangerous threat on both offense and special teams, ranking 4th in the nation and first in the NSIC in All Purpose yardage. Kittner became the first Marauders football player of the school's NCAA era to post both 100 yards receiving and on returns in two consecutive games. And the last time a UMary player went over 200 yards of all purpose yardage was all-Northern Sun receiver Elby Pope in each of the final four games of the 2014 season... The native of Gilbert, AZ, opened his run by catching five passes for 136 yards and a touchdown, running twice for 16 yards and returning five kicks for 107 yards for a total of 259 all purpose yards on 12 touches against Minot State. Explosive plays against the Beavers for Kittner included a 48 yard catch, a 46 yard touchdown catch, and a 43 yard kick return... Last weekend at MSU Moorhead Kittner accumulated had seven catches for 121 yards and a score, returned three punts for 35 yards and had two kick returns for 86 yards. He made a major impact in the fourth quarter, returning a punt 27 yards and a kick 52 while also catching a 42 yard pass. He also had catches covering 34 and 19 yards and his other kickoff return went 34 yards... In addition to leading the Northern Sun in all purpose yardage with a total 737 for an average of 184.3 yards/game, Kittner is also among the league leaders in explosive plays. He has two of the 21 longest catches in the conference, three of the ten longest kick returns and the sixth longest punt return.

EXPLOSION
The Marauders have generated several big plays on offense this season. Here is a list of all plays over 20 yards:
62 yards - Logan Nelson run vs. Minot State (TD)
56 yards - Kade Lynch catch from Logan Nelson vs. SCSU (TD)
55 yards - Logan Nelson run vs, Minot State (TD)
48 yards - Danny Kittner catch from Logan Nelson vs. Minot State
46 yards - Danny Kittner catch from Logan Nelson vs. Minot State (TD)
42 yards - Danny Kittner catch from Jordan Velarde at MSU Moorhead
40 yards - Leonardo Vecchi catch from Logan Nelson at Bemidji State (TD)
39 yards - Leonardo Vecchi catch from Logan Nelson vs. SCSU
34 yards - Danny Kittner catch from Jordan Velarde at MSU Moorhead
32 yards - Bryan Lumsden run vs. Minot State
32 yards - Kade Lynch catch from Logam Nelson at Bemidji State
21 yards - Garrett Weissinger catch from Jordan Velarde at MSU Moorhea
21 yards - Kade Lynch catch from Jordan Velarde at MSU Moorhead 
20 yards - Jaden Andresen catch from Logn Nelson at Bemidji State
20 yards - Garrett Weissinger catch from Jordan Velarde at MSU Moorhead

EXPLOSION PART TWO
In the 16-team Northerm Sun listing of longest plays this season, the Marauders have the two of the nine longest runs, three of the 13 longest pass plays, five of the 13 longest kick returns, and the 5th longest punt return. 

BIG RETURNS
Marquell Evans and Danny Kittner have formed an impressive kick return duo for the Marauders this season. UMary is second in the NSIC amd 40th nationally, averaging 23.7 yards/return. After returning five kicks for 124 yards last week - including a 40 yard return on the opening kickoff to set up the Maauders first touchdown - Evans is averaging 24.8 yards a return this season to rank fourth in the NSIC. Kittner had two returns - including a 52 yarder - for 86 yards against the Dragons. For the year he is averaging 23.9 yards/return to rank 5th in the NSIC. 

END ZONE
The Marauders found the end zone four times in each of the last two games. The last time the Marauders scored four touchdowns in consecutive games was the last four games of the 2014 season. 

BUSY MEN
Sr. LB Paul Guptill is the 6th leading tackler in the Northern Sun. The former Marauders fullback is averages 8.0 tackles per game... Several Marauders are among the NSIC leaders in tackles per game. DB Richard Bendish ranks 9th (7.8), Jr. LB Dylan Anthony is 12th (7.3), Sr. DL Cyrano Rafield is 16th (6.8), and Sr. LB Grady Blewett is 21st (6.5). 

SIX + 1 NUMBERS TO KNOW
184 Danny Kittner ranks 1st in the NSIC in all purpose yards and 4th in NCAA Division II with 184 yards per game (includes rushing, receiving and return yards)

32 This is the 32nd  season of Marauders football. After playing a junior varsity schedule in 1987, head coach Jim Driscoll led the 1988 squad to a 27-18 home win in the program's first varsity game. 

22 The Marauders are 22nd in the nation in both kick and punt return defense. Opponents are averaging just 16.0 yards per kick return and 2.9 yards per punt return against the stingy UMary special teams.

15 UMary owns 15 plays of 20 or more yards on offense this season

14 This is the Marauders 14th season competing in the NSIC and NCAA Division II

7 The Marauders offense owns seven plays of 39 or more yards 

3x2 For the third time in his career, Bryan Lumsden scored two touchdowns in a game when he crossed the goal line twice at MSU Moorhead

HEAD COACHES
In his second season as UMary head coach Craig Bagnell was the youngest head coach in the NCAA in 2018 at age 28. The 2013 University of Mary graduate started his coaching career at Bemidji State in 2014 as a graduate assistant working with receivers. The next season he moved to offensive coordinator where he led a potent Beavers attack the last three years that featured creativity, balance and big plays. A four-year starter at quarterback for the Marauders, Bagnell was a two-time all-conference selection and UMary's all-time career leader in touchdown passes (75) and passing yardage (9,170). He was named head coach at his alma mater in Dec. 2017... The 21st head coach in Sioux Falls history, Jon Anderson is in his third season and has a record of 18-9 with the Cougars. He was previously the head coach at West Virginia State where he had a 10-34 record. He is now 28-43 in his coaching career. A coach with USF from 2002-2012, Anderson helped lead the Cougars to a 134-26 record, three NAIA championships (2006, 2008, 2009), as well as the program first, nine- win team at the NCAA DII level.

THE MARAUDERS-COUGARS SERIES HISTORY
(USF leads the series 8-4)
A series filled with important meetings on a national scale, the University of Mary and the University of Sioux Falls have played in five NAIA playoff games among their 12 meetings. The Marauders and the Cougars first met in 1988, UMary's inaugural football season, and USF left Bismarck with a 37-13 win. The Cougars would also win the following year. UMary turned the tables in 1990 with a 17-6 win, followed by a 35-21 win in 1991 at Sioux Falls. After a four year break, the two schools found themselves pitted against one another in the second round of the 1995 NAIA playoffs, with UMary claiming a 42-17 win. USF captured the next four games, all in the NAIA playoffs. The last three meetings were all close with USF outscoring the Marauders by just 13 total points. The last NAIA meeting between the two teams was in the second round of the 2002 NAIA playoffs. On Nov. 30 in Bismarck, the Cougars nudged the Marauders 13-10. Down 7-0, the Marauders scored the next 10 points on a field goal from Justin Lang and a Jake Pfau touchdown reception of 13 yards from Tim Garcia. TC Fraser would win the game for USF with two third quarter field goals. On a day dominated by defense, the Marauders were held to -6 yards rushing while U-Mary's defense made 21 tackles behind the line. A U-Mary Hall of Famer, Pfau set a school record with 13 catches in the game, covering 167 yards... 2013 In the first NCAA DIvision II meeting between the two schools, the Marauders gained a 17-10 home win in the third game of the 2013 season. The Cougars opened the scoring in the first quarter with a 5-yard scoring run by Luke Pappilion. Immediately the Marauders tied the score when Craig Bagnell found Nick Jolliffe in the end zone from 9 yards out. The two teams exchanged field goals in the third before the Marauders defense gained control. UMary allowed USF just three first downs on its last five possessions and the Cougars never advanced beyond the Marauders 45 yard line. The Marauders captured the win on a Vince Ferrante 1 yard run with 4:41 left in the game. Bagnell completed 26-of-49 passes for 323 yards, one TD and one interception. Jolliffe had six catches for 72 yards and a score. Ferrante ran for 57 yards. Grant Singer led the Marauders with nine tackles, including a sack and two tackles for loss, and also forced a fumble. For USF, Papillion completed just 10-of-29 passes for 95 yards and two interceptions. He ran for 83 yards and Nephi Garcia added 111... 2015 10th ranked Sioux Falls scored 21 points in the first quarter and ran past the Marauders 55-7. Adam Woroniecki ran for 53 yards and scored the Marauders lone touchdown. Brennan Doan caught five passes for 60 yards. Seth Walton recovered a fumble, intercepted a pass and led the Marauders defense with 1.5 tackles for loss. Luke Papillion led USF with 266 passing yards and three touchdown passes. He also ran for 65 yards. Justin Folks and Max Mickey both ran for two scores... 2017 Jordan Beaty caught a 69 yard scoring pass from Colton Farmer was the Marauders lone touchdown in a 38-7 home loss. Farmer completed 2-of-3 pases for 84 yards and ran for 46. Noah Krebs had a team-best 16 tackles. Max Mickey led 7th ranked USF with 150 yards rushing and scored twice. Ian Fielder passed for 206 yards. 

PAST MARAUDERS-COUGARS MEETINGS
(USF leads Marauders series 8-4)
1988     USF 37 UMary 13                                         Bismarck, ND
1989     USF 28 UMary 17                                         Sioux Falls, SD
1990     UMary 17 USF 6                                         Bismarck, ND
1991     UMary 35 USF 21                                         Sioux Falls, SD
1995     UMary 42 USF 17 (NAIA playoffs 2nd rd)     Bismarck, ND
1996     USF 56 UMary 19 (NAIA 1st rd)                 Bismarck, ND
1998     USF 29 UMary 25 (NAIA 1st rd)                 Sioux Falls, SD
2001     USF 27 UMary 21 (NAIA 1st rd)                 Bismarck, ND
2002     USF 13 UMary 10 (NAIA 2nd rd)             Bismarck, ND
2013    UMary 17 USF 10                                     Bismarck, ND
2015    USF 55 UMary 7                                         Sioux Falls, SD
2017    USF 38 UMary 7                                         Bismarck, ND

QUICK LOOK AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SIOUX FALLS COUGARS
Featuring a strong defense and an impressive offense, Sioux Falls is 2-2 on the season after a tough 20-13 loss to Augustana in the Key to the City game. USF dominated the stat sheet while holding Augie to just 139 yards of offense but the Cougars committed three costly turnovers. On the season USF is holding teams to just 229 yards of offense/game and has forced seven turnovers. Thuro Reisdorfer leads the run attack with 337 yards and six TDs. He is one of three Cougars with a long run of 50 or more yards. Caden Walters completes 63 percent of his passes and averages 220 yards/game. He has both thrown and run for three TDs. Karnell Collier owns 19 catches for 314 yards, an average of 16.5 yards/catch. Ryan Nieman has two interceptions and is second in tackles with 21. Brody Grantham has 27 tackles and 3.5 for loss. Joey Wehrkamp owns 5.0 TFL and 3.0 sacks. 

LAST TIME OUT
A big game by Danny Kittner and a fourth quarter rally by the Marauders left the final outcome in question until the closing moments of a 47-32 loss at MSU Moorhead in the 14th annual Battle for the Paddle... One of the nation's leaders in all-purpose yardage, Kittner went over 100 yards in both receiving and return yardage for the second straight week. He caught seven passes for 121 yards with a touchdown, returned three punts for 35 yards and two kicks for 86 yards to roll up 242 yards in the game. He had a 42 yard pass reception, a 27 yard punt return and a 52 yard kick return in the game... UMary scored on the opening possession of the game. Highlighted by a 40 yard kick return by Marquell Evans, Kittner capped the opening drive by catching a 6 yard touchdown pass from Jordan Velarde. Velarde later found Brandon McFarlane open in the end zone late on the opening half for the Marauders second touchdown of the game and UMary trailed 33-14 at intermission... Following a scoreless third quarter, the Dragons extended their lead to 40-14 early in the fourth quarter before the Marauders offense regained their footing... Taking advantage of the Kittner 52 yard kick return, Brody Riggs started the UMary rally by drilling a 47 yards field goal. Back to back defensive stops ed to a pair of Bryan Lumsden 1 yard touchdown runs. A Garrett Weissinger to Velarde two-point conversion pulled the Marauders within one possession at 40-32 and 1:53 left in the game. The Marauders couldn't recover the onside kick and the Dragons scored on the next play to seal MSUM's win... Velarde passed for a career-high 252 yards, completing 19-of-34 passes for two scores and three interceptions. Lumsden scored twice and ran for 84 yards on 21 carries. Weissinger caught a career-best nine passes for 83 yards. Evans finished with 124 yards on five kick returns... Jarad Zittleman led the Marauders defense with nine tackles and a tackle for loss. Grady Blewett had six tackles and a pass breakup. Dylan Anthony and Cyrano Rayfield also had six tackles with one tackle for loss each. Taylor Morrison had the Marauders lone sack...The Dragons were paced by Grady Bresnahan, who caught three touchdowns on seven receptions for 95 yards. Plasterer finished 22-of-33 passing for 239 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.  

UP NEXT - HOMECOMING 2019
The Marauders next return to Bismarck for Homecoming 2019 when UMary hosts Upper Iowa University on Saturday, Oct. 12. The 1995 Marauders football team that reached the national semifinals will be inducted into the Marauders Hall of Fame that weekend, along with Marc Hawley (men's basketball), Bridgit Tollefsrud Fischer (softball), Aaron Hartnell (wrestling) and Flavia Siqueira (volleyball)

13     
The Marauders have had 13 players make their first starts for UMary this season. Starting for the first time in the opener against the Huskies was WR Leonardo Vecchi, OL Dylan Thomsen, QB Logan Nelson, DL Anthony Zuniga and Devin Sardelli, LB Paul Guptill and DBs Daquavian Ross and Richard Bendish. In week two, WR Kade Lynch, DL Taylor Morrison and DB Dre Jackson had their first UMary starts at Bemidji State. In week three freshman offensive linemen Drake Lalim and Conner Paul were in the starting lineup.   

BOOM TOWN
All-NSIC punter Bailey Meyer is having another strong season. He ranks 50th in the nation with an average of 39.7 yards/attempt. Among his 26 punts, seven balls have been pinned inside the 20 and seven have resulted in a fair catch. His season long is 50 yards. Meyer is the Marauders career punting leader with an average of 39.2 yards/kick and also holds records for singe season average (41.8 in 2018), single season attempts (77 in 2018) and career attempts (211).


LINE MATES
Offensive linemen Hunter Hanson and Tyson Lytle enter their fourth season as starters. Adding to a veteran front line, fellow senior Rory Olson is starting at center for the second straight year after starting a combined nine games as a freshman and sophomore.  

TV TIME
The University of Mary football games will be televised live throughout the state and region five times this season:
Sept. 5            Marauders vs. St. Cloud State         6 p.m.         BEK Sports
Sept. 12        Marauders at Bemidji State                7 p.m.        Midco Sports
Sept. 21        Marauders vs. Minot State                    6 p.m.        The Dakota's CW
Sept. 28        Marauders at MSU Moorhead        1 p.m.        Midco Sports
Oct. 26            Marauders vs. Wayne State                 2 p.m.        BEK Sports

NSIC FAMILIARITY
Of the ten coaches on Craig Bagnell's staff, eight have either coached at or graduated from a Northern Sun school. Bagnell, Jordan Noskowiak, Matthew Splon, Rufus Saylee and student assistant coach Jackson Grad all have played and coached in the NSIC. Mark Martin and Tristian Johnson all coached in the NSIC at other schools before joining UMary. Ben Davis is back at UMary for his sixth season after spending last year at Benedictine University.   

BROTHERS
The Marauders have three brother combinations on their 2019 roster. Sr. Noah Krebs and R-Fr. Jonah Krebs are both linebackers from St. Mary's in Bismarck, ND. Soph. OL Dylan Thomsen and R-Fr. DL Jacob Thomsen are natives both from Thompson, ND. Sr. LB Grady Blewett and Jr. Will Blewett are from Bozeman, MT. 

BROTHERS PART 2
The Marauders also have several players who have had older brothers on the squad, including Cru Darrah (older brother Curtis), Paul Guptill (Troy), Ryan Woroniecki (Adam), and Jarad Zittleman (Brady).