MOORHEAD, Minn. - The Winona State University football team traveled to Moorhead, Minn. to take on the MSU-Moorhead Dragons in a week nine Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) football matchup. Winona State saw a standout performance by wide receiver
Sylvere Campbell but the Dragon defense held the rest of the WSU offense in check, leading to a 20-17 loss for WSU.
Key Details: MSUM 20, Winona State 17
Attendance: 1,132
The Winona State offense started strongly, putting together an impressive possession following the opening kickoff, culminating with a
Jacob Scott 22-yard field goal, putting WSU out in front 3-0. Unfortunately for Winona State, MSUM was able to answer with a touchdown drive of their own and the Dragons would go on to limit WSU's scoring chances over the next three quarters, dealing Winona State the NSIC road setback.
How It Happened
The Winona State opening drive saw
Sylvere Campbell pick up three receptions from starting QB
Cole Stenstrom in a 14-play, 53-yard drive. WSU stalled in the red zone but
Jacob Scott was able to help the Warriors open the scoring with a 22-yard field goal. The trio of Campbell catches set the graduate student transfer talent on the path to one of the top receiving performances of the season for WSU.
The host Dragons responded with a touchdown-scoring drive, using nine plays to go 65 yards. Jack Strand connected with MSUM receiver Brady Perryman on a nine-yard passing for the TD. The Dragons Jacob Schoeder was unable to convert the PAT, leaving MSUM with a 6-3 lead.
Winona State found the second quarter unfavorable, punting once and suffering a missed field goal attempt following a 13-play drive in the middle of the stanza. MSUM scored the only points of the second frame, marching 99 yards and consuming over four-and-half minutes on the clock to tally the Dragons second touchdown of the day.
Although Winona State scored on their opening drive of the first half, WSU was held at bay the rest of the way in the opening 30 minutes. The Warriors and Dragons headed into the locker room with MSUM owning a 13-3 lead over WSU.
At the Half: MSUM 13, WSU 3
To open the second half, Winona State and MSU Moorhead traded punts and possessions until the Dragons were able to add to their lead.
For the second time in the contest, MSUM drove nearly the length of the entire field to score a touchdown. Tyson Powell finished off a 97-yard Dragon drive with a one-yard plunge to score the first rushing touchdown for either team in the game. MSUM hit a successful PAT to move the scoreboard to 20-3 in favor of the home side.
As the third quarter wound down,
Quentin Pringle helped Winona State to mount a comeback, also scoring on a one-yard effort following a long WSU drive. Winona State went 65 yards in eight plays in a scoring drive that lasted four minutes and 34 seconds.
Winona State doubled their scoring output for the quarter with just over one minute left in the third frame.
Cole Stenstrom found his favorite target of the afternoon, connecting with Campbell on a 19-yard pass for a Warrior touchdown. Following Scott's successful point-after kick, Winona State narrowed the Dragon's lead to 20-17.
Although the third quarter saw the Winona State offense begin to click, the fourth frame saw the MSMU defense and time-consuming offense return to the form that had helped them establish their early lead.
Winona State was only able to muster two possessions in the fourth quarter, punting the ball away on their first drive and turning the ball over on downs in their second possession.
In between the two WSU possessions, MSU-Moorhead put together a nearly eight-minute drive, racking up 15 plays. Although WSU denied the Dragons a scoring play, the seven-minute, 57-second drive wound down the clock, and with it, much of the opportunity for Winona State to complete the comeback.
MSUM would earn the ball back with just over two minutes to go, earning a first-down and eventually taking a knee to end the game. The Dragons improved to 6-3 overall, 5-3 in NSIC play with the win, while Winona State moved 4-5 overall, 4-4 in NSIC play with the setback.
Winona State Statistical Standouts
Sylvere Campbell, 7 receptions, 81 yards, 11.6 yards-per-catch, 1 TD
Cole Stenstrom, 18-of-34, 202 passing yards, 1 TD, 29 yards rushing
Trey Borske, 10 tackles, 8 solo stops
Kyjuan Vengrowsky, 2 sacks, 13 TFL yards
Zach Myhre, 7 tackles, all solo stops
Nick Bucaro, 2 pass breakups
Tristan Root, 4 punts, 3 inside opponents 20
Cayden Holcomb, 4 kick returns, one 33-yard effort
Beyond the Boxscore
Campbell's seven-catch performance was just two away from reaching the single-game reception record book list. WSU has had 15 Warriors record 9 catches in a contest over the years; Darren Ripley owns the WSU all-time best mark with 14 receptions in a single game, performing the feat against Hamline University in 1985.
Tristan Root dropped three of his four punts on the day inside the Dragon's 20-yard line. Root entered the weekend leading the NSIC in punts inside the opponents 20-yard line.
Trey Borke's 10-tackle performance represented one of the Naperville, Ill. product's performances as a Warrior.
Jacob Scott hit both WSU PAT's in the game, running his perfect PAT streak to 27-of-27 on the year.
Up Next:
Winona State (4-5, 4-4 NSIC) returns home to host rival Minnesota State, Mankato (8-1, 7-1 NSIC) in Altra Federal Credit Union Stadium. The Warriors and Mavericks will kick off at 1 p.m. on Maxwell Field.
