BISMARCK, ND – A record-breaking day by University of Mary wide receiver Danny Kittner headlined a wild shootout in the 16^th Battle for the Paddle game. The Marauders homecoming contest with MSU Moorhead featured five lead changes – including three in the fourth quarter – in a 40-38 Dragons victory.
 
Kittner broke a pair of Northern Sun career records in the game while scoring three touchdowns and breaking his own school record for all purpose yards. The All-American posted 13 catches for 131 yards and two touchdowns in the game, returned eight kicks for 236 yards and a touchdown, and returned two punts for 14 yards. His 381 all-purpose yards broke his total of 371 last season against Winona State University.
 
Additionally Kittner is now the Northern Sun's career leader in receptions and yardage. With three games remaining, the senior has 272 career receptions for 3,498 yards. The old records were 270 catches by Southwest Minnesota State's Nate Huot and 3,428 yards by Minnesota State's Shane Zylstra. Kittner also hosts the NSIC single season record for catches and receiving yards, which he set in 2021.
 
With three touchdowns, Kittner is the seventh Marauders player to reach 30 career touchdowns. His total of 31 is third all-time, trailing only Bobby Wagner (37) and Jake Pfau (34).
 
Down early, the Marauders reversed course with an explosive second quarter. Kittner scored UMary's opening touchdown on a 1 yard passing play from Logan Nelson.
 
The first of two Johnny Tillman interceptions led to the Marauders next score after the senior safety posted an 18 yard return to the MSUM 31. Needing just four plays, Dave Small Jr. rumbled into the end zone from 2 yards out to give the Marauders their first lead at 14-10 with 9:02 remaining in the first half.
 
For Small it was the eighth straight UMary game in which he has scored a touchdown, and NCAA era best for the Marauders. Jamal Lomax scored in eight straight games in 2009-10 but not consecutive team games as he missed four games during his streak.
 
Small finished the game with a season-high 130 yards rushing, missing his career-high by 3 yards. He also had four catches for 11 yards. The senior is now 9^th all-time in rushing yards at UMary with 1,352.
 
Following a Dragons field goal, Collin Gapen hauled in a 1 yard touchdown pass from Nelson. Gapen set up the score with a 45 yard catch from Nelson just three plays earlier. The Dragons scored with 37 seconds left to pull within 21-20 at intermission.
 
With a boisterous homecoming crowd still finding their seats for the second half, Kittner electrified the MDU Resources Community Bowl with a 92 yard kickoff return for a touchdown, pushing the Marauders lead to 28-20. Starting at the numbers on the right side, Kittner worked his way left to the hash marks, made a hard cutback inside at the 30 and proceeded to outrace the Dragons to the end zone. It was the first kickoff return for a touchdown by the Marauders since Connor Graves had an 87 yard return against Minnesota Duluth in 2016.
 
MSU Moorhead bounced back to even the game midway through the third quarter on a Gage Florence 11 yard touchdown pass from Jack Strand and a 2-point conversion.
 
Jamire Jackson set up the Marauders next score with a 23 yard interception return to the MSUM 7 yard line. Kevin Powell knocked home a 30 yard field goal and the Marauders finished the third quarter leading 31-28.
 
A Carter Birrenkott 32 yard scoring pass gave MSU Moorhead its first lead since early in the second quarter, but it didn't last long. Starting at their own 20, the Marauders marched down the field behind the running of Small and receptions from Kittner, moving 80 yards in 13 plays and taking a 38-34 lead on a Nelson to Kittner 5 yard scoring pass with 6:46 to play.
 
Not to be outdone, the Dragons travelled 65 yards on 12 plays to take the final lead on a Strand to Gage Florence 16 yard touchdown pass, grabbing a 40-38 lead with 4:43 remaining in the contest.
 
Looking to change the lead one more time, a Nelson 25 yard run moved UMary into MSUM territory at the 41. With Nelson injured on the play and forced to leave the contest, the UMary drive stalled, leaving the Paddle Trophy in the hands of the visiting Dragons.
 
Nelson finished the game 25-of-35 for three touchdowns and 211 yards. He is now 3^rd all-time at UMary in touchdown passes with 61. He also became the third UMary quarterback to throw for 6,000 career yards and sits at 6,155 yards total.
 
Gapen ended with eight catches for 72 yards and a touchdown.
 
Tillman paced the Marauders defense with a pair of interceptions with 49 return yards. He also had seven solo stops. Devyn Charles had 10 tackles and Devin Beck posted eight stops, including one for loss. Jackson had five solo stops to pair with his interception. Korvin Feagins had the Marauders fourth interception and also blocked an extra point attempt.
 
Florence had a record-setting day for the Dragons. With 21 receptions for 215 yards and three touchdowns, Florence broke Kittner's NSIC record for catches in one game.
 
Strand threw for 423 yard with four touchdowns and four interceptions.
 
UMary finished with 18 first downs and 378 total yards, including 164 yards rushing, on 68 plays. MSUM totaled 32 first downs with 513 yards of offense (423 passing) on 95 plays.
 
The Marauders head on the road for the next two weeks. UMary next visits Concordia-St. Paul on Saturday, October 29. Kickoff is set for 12 noon.
 
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