BISMARCK, ND – Veteran Luke Bodine and newcomer Ryan Blair connected for three touchdowns as the University of Mary outpaced Midland University 28-22 for a Marauders Week 0 home win.
 
Bodine, in his team-leading 35^th game wearing the orange and blue, caught one touchdown pass in the first half and two in the second from Blair, who was making his Marauders debut. A senior tight end, Bodine finished with seven catches for 79 yards, including a pair of first downs on the final drive of the game to seal the UMary win. The seven catches and three scores are career-highs for the Plymouth, MN, native.
 
Blair, a graduate transfer from Whitworth University, demonstrated the skills that made him the conference offensive player of the year last season for Whitworth while leading the Pirates to the second round of the NCAA Division III playoffs. The Spokane, WA, native completed 26-of-37 passes for 304 yards and four touchdowns.
 
Karsyn Jablonski also found an immediate groove with Blair. The junior wide receiver hauled in eight passes for 129 yards and the opening touchdown of the game. The catches and yards are both career-highs.
 
With the UMary defense keeping Midland's offense in check, the Marauders opened the scoring with 1:25 left in the first quarter. Keyed by a 22 yard reception from Jablonski, Blair soon found the UMary junior wide receiver just inside the goal line from 6 yards out for the opening touchdown of the season.
 
The Marauders doubled their lead late in the second half. Starting at their own 20, UMary drove 80 yards in 13 plays, including 23 yards on a catch by Jaxon Feller. Blair found Bodine from five yards out with 22 seconds left in the opening half to send UMary into intermission with a 14-0 lead.
 
Midland scored its first points of the season on a 30 yard field goal in the third quarter. UMary immediately responded with a 60 yard scoring drive. After converting a 2^nd-and-19 when Blair and Jablonski connected for a 20 yard gain to keep the drive alive, the Marauders moved ahead 21-3 as Bodine hauled in a 12 yard touchdown pass.
 
The Warriors, now finding their offensive footing, struck for a 69 yard touchdown when Brodey Johnson found Tae Marks down the right sideline. Mason Phillips then blocked the extra point but UMary's lead was sliced to 21-9 at the end of the third quarter.
 
For the second straight time, the Marauders immediately followed a Warriors score with a touchdown of their own. Just 1:31 into the final stanza, Bodine found himself all alone in the left side the end zone and hauled in a 21 yard touchdown pass from Blair. Jack Henninger's fourth straight extra point conversion pushed the UMary advantage to 28-9.
 
Abram Jopp halted the Warriors next possession with an interception at the 1 yard line. Midland, though, quickly regained the ball score and scored on its next two possessions to close within 28-22 with six minutes left in the game.
 
UMary's offense responded to the late charge by Midland in impressive fashion by running off the last six minutes on the clock. Featuring first down receptions of 10 and 8 yards by Bodine, the Marauders covered 53 yards in 13 plays. UMary picked up four first downs to run out the clock and extinguish Midland's hopes for one more possession and a chance for a win. A punishing 16 yard run by Carl Henry for the Marauders fourth first down of the drive sealed the win for UMary. Henry finished the day with a team-high 62 yards rushing.
 
The Marauders finished the game with 25 first downs and 411 yards of offense. Defensively UMary limited Midland to 229 total yards and 13 first downs, with nearly a third of the yardage coming on the Marks touchdown reception.
 
Travis Biery posted 2.0 tackles for loss for UMary as the Marauders made nine stops behind the line. Christopher Federico added 1.5 tackles for loss and seven total stops. Owen Gress also added 1.5 tackles for loss, Tuakoi Mahe owned a team-best seven solo tackles. Kalani Washington, who converted to defensive back after playing wide receiver for UMary last year, had a sack, broke up two passes and made four tackles.
 
Marks led the Warriors offense with three catches for 79 yards. Jay Balard had 1.5 tackles for loss and nine tackles total. Beau Lacroix posted 2.0 tackles for six yards of loss and had an interception.
 
Next up for the Marauders is a visit to Wayne State College for the Northern Sun opener for both schools. Game time is 6 pm on Saturday, September 6.
 
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