CROOKSTON, Minn. – With snow in the forecast earlier this week, Winona State will get its first dose of winter conditions as the Warriors travel to Minnesota Crookston for another cross-division matchup with the NSIC North. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
The Warriors are looking to notch their third straight win while continuing to ground the sluggish Golden Eagle offense. WSU wraps up its current four-game stretch against North opponents next week in Winona against No. 7 Minnesota Duluth.
Live stats and video will be provided along with the broadcast on HBC 25 and KQAL Radio.
NOTES
PILAGE & PLUNDER: Last week's 54-13 Homecoming win over the Mary Marauders was Winona State's highest scoring output and margin of victory this season. The Warriors accumulated a season-best 530 yards of total offense, including season highs on the ground (211) and through the air (319). Each of the Warriors' six offensive touchdowns took less than four minutes off the clock, including four that were produced in under 100 seconds. The WSU defense forced three turnovers, highlighted by Kenneth Sanders' first career pick-six which the redshirt freshman returned 65 yards for a score. Dating back to last season, the Warrior defense has put points on the board 11 times by way of a safety or touchdown over its last 15 contests.
HI, MY NAME IS: With last Saturday's blowout well in hand at halftime, fans got a glimpse of several new impact players on the offensive side of the ball. A total of four quarterbacks took snaps against Mary, including a 4-4 effort from John Rumpza which culminated in a 30-yard touchdown pass to Elliot Cox. Redshirt freshman Miguel Benjamin saw his first career reps and finished the game with a team-high 19 rushes for 65 yards. Fellow rookie Darryl Williams hauled in two passes for a season-best 38 yards and handled punt return duties late in the game.
SCOUTING CROOKSTON: The Golden Eagles (1-5) rank last in the NSIC in scoring offense (10.3 ppg) and are second-to-last in scoring defense (45.2). Crookston has not scored a touchdown over its last two games and has been held to six points or less in three of the last four weeks. The Golden Eagles' lone win of the season was a 29-21 triumph at Minot State in Week 4. Crookston is averaging 102 yards/game on the ground and 149.2 yards/game through the air – both of which rank near the bottom of the league. Elijah Todd has rushed for 330 yards this season but has yet to find the end zone. Quarterback Jalin Scott has thrown for 653 yards with two touchdowns and five interceptions to go along with all four of Crookston's rushing touchdowns. Andy Groebner leads the team with 379 yards receiving and a pair of scores.
LOPSIDED HISTORY: Winona State has never lost to Crookston in 14 meetings dating back to 1999. The Warriors have outscored Crookston, 689-120, in the all-time series, and own a 519-49 scoring advantage over the last 10 matchups. WSU has shutout the Golden Eagles five times, including a 68-0 triumph in the last meeting (2016). The largest margin of victory was a 73-0 Warrior win in 2005.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH: Sophomore quarterback Owen Burke continued his upward trajectory last Saturday by completing 13 of 16 passes and matching a career high with three touchdowns. Burke has thrown for at least 200 yards and one score in all six games this season. The Denver, Colorado native ranks fifth in the NSIC in passing yards/game (245.5) and is fourth in touchdowns (13).
SPREAD THE WEALTH: Burke has found plenty of options in the passing game, connecting with 14 different receivers this year. Senior Isaiah Frandsen leads the way with 434 yards to go along with four touchdowns. He ranks eighth in the NSIC in receiving yards/game (72.3). Over the last four weeks, Frandsen has averaged 88.25 yards and one touchdown/game. Tyler Anderson has burst onto the scene as of late and ranks second on the team with 17 catches for 253 yards. Junior Tanner Gran has also hauled in 17 catches for 210 yards while matching Frandsen in the touchdown department (4).
FLEET OF FEET: With a stable of weapons in the backfield, the Warriors have several fleet of foot options against a Crookston run defense that has been gashed for 217 rushing yards/game. Javian Roebuck totaled 125 all-purpose yards last week against Mary with a receiving touchdown. The junior leads the running back group with 363 yards on the ground and has exploded for a pair of 50-plus-yard runs. Sophomore Sam Santiago-Lloyd has rushed for 284 yards and a team-best three touchdowns. Senior Eric Birth has totaled 134 yards on the ground and scored a pair of rushing touchdowns two weeks ago at Northern State.
CORNERED: The Warriors' two leading tacklers this season reside at the cornerback position in Isaiah Hall (34) and Cole Monckton (32). Monckton leads the team with eight pass-breakups while Hall ranks second with 5.5 tackles-for-loss. The duo has combined for seven career interceptions and three forced fumbles.
