ABERDEEN, SD – For a second straight week, the University of Mary football team needed a score in the closing seconds. After scoring on an untimed play with no time remaining on the clock a week ago to force overtime, the Marauders found themselves in a similar situation at Northern State University.
Needing to drive 79 yards to score the equalizer with just 2:10 to play, the visiting Marauders gained 46 before a Wolves interception sealed a 21-14 homecoming win for Northern State.
Fighting from behind from the opening kickoff, the Marauders defense kept UMary within striking distance.
The Marauders limited the Wolves to 29 passing yards, the 3
rd-fewest yards UMary has allowed in a Northern Sun contest. Northern State completed just 8-of-18 passes in the game as UMary applied tight coverage with strong pressure.
For the game UMary held Northern State to 14 first downs and 255 total yards of offense. It was the second-fewest yards and second-fewest first downs the Marauders have allowed this year. It was the fewest yards generated by the Wolves this season, who entered the day averaging over 400 yards of offense and more than 30 points/game.
UMary fell behind immediately as Cooper Eisenbeisz returned the opening kickoff 87 yards for a Northern State touchdown. The Wolves doubled their lead to 14-0 when Hank Kraft scored on a 1-yard run at 8:49 of the second quarter, one play after the Marauders had unsuccessfully challenged that NSU had fumbled with UMary recovering at the goal line.
Immediately the Marauders responded with Cody Emmanuel hauling in a 41 touchdown pass from
Ryan Blair to cap a 75-yrd scoring drive, sending the Marauders into intermission down 14-7.
Another Kraft touchdown, this time on a 2-yard run at 4:48 of the third quarter, looked to clinch the game for the Wolves. Instead the Marauders kept battling.
Taking over at their own 16-yard line halfway through the fourth period, the Marauders quickly drove the field and scored when Blair found
Karsyn Jablonski in the end zone from 37 yards out, closing the gap to 21-14 with 4:57 remaining.
The Marauders defense gave the UMary offense one more chance, forcing the Wolves into a 38-yard field goal that misfired with 2:10 to play.
Keyed by a 16-yard catch by Jaquawn Brackenridge, UMary drove from its 21-yard line to the NSU 33 before the Marauders hopes faded with 33 seconds to play.
The Marauders finished the game with 372 yards of offense, with 301 coming through the air.
Blair completed 27-of-34 passes for 294 yards and two scores.
Jablonski hauled in 13 passes for 138 yards and a touchdown. The 13 catches is a career-best for the senior who crossed 100 yards receiving for the second straight week and the seventh time in his career.
The Mandan, ND, native is now 10
th all-time in receptions at UMary with 126 and 8
th in receiving yards (1,874).
Desmond Duffy added five catches for 43 yards.
Cameron Brusven led the Marauders defense with 13 tackles, including 10 solo stops. He had one tackle for loss.
Christopher Federico added seven tackles and broke up a pass. Jack Souffer added two pass breakups.
Kraft ran for 119 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Wolves. Gabe Gutierrez made 2.5 tackles for loss and Kegan Mountain added 2.0 tackles for loss among his nine total tackles.
The Marauders return home to host the University of Jamestown on Saturday, October 3. The UMary homecoming game kicks off at 2 pm at the MDU Resources Community Bowl. Tickets are available online at
www.UMAryTickets.com.
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