WINONA, Minn. - The Winona State University football team mounted an impressive comeback against No. 10 ranked Minnesota State on Saturday, Nov. 4, battling back to nearly upset the Mavericks in front of 4,460 fans in Altra Federal Credit Union Stadium.
Winona State (4-6, 4-5 NSIC) tallied the last two touchdowns of a back-and-forth affair that saw the two teams combine for 91 total points. In the end, WSU was unable to pull off a last minute miracle, falling just short on, and on the wrong end of, a 49-42 scoreline to Minnesota State (9-1, 8-1 NSIC).
How It Happened
The scoring started fast and furious with Minnesota State securing a touchdown on their opening drive, having received the first half kickoff to start the game. The Maverick's Hayden Ekern found the endzone on a three-yard run to cap off a four-play, 59 yard drive.
Minnesota State would go on to double their touchdown production in the first quarter, when Ekern hit Grant Guyett from 20 yards out for another Maverick score. After Matthew Jaeger converted his second PAT of the opening 15 minutes, MSU would lead Winona State 14-0 at the 6:13 mark of the opening stanza.
It did not take long for Winona State to mount a response, as
Quentin Pringle continued the 2023 tradition of long, first-quarter touchdown runs, cruising 75 yards nearly untouched for the first WSU score.
Jacob Scott and the PAT unit continued their perfect season, converting the kick and moving the scoreboard to 14-7.
In the second quarter, Minnesota State again tallied the first two scores for the stanza, first scoring on a one-yard plunge by Ekern for his second TD of the half. Ekern's dive capped off 10-play, 71-yard drive that consumed over five minutes of the second quarter. Shen Butler Lawson, Jr. would also find the end zone seven minutes later, scoring on a 39-yard run.
The two teams would head into the locker room with the Mavericks holding a 28-7 advantage.
Halftime: Minnesota State 28, Winona State 7
The Winona State faithful saw a motivated Warrior side take the field in the second half, as evidenced early on by a
Ty Gavin eight-yard touchdown run that completed a six-play, 79-yard Warrior drive. Like the Mavericks in the first half, the opening drive score saw an energized crowd join the fray.
Minnesota State would match Gavin's scoring effort with a touchdown at the 6:16 mark of the third quarter, with Lawson, Jr. notching his second rushing touchdown of the day, scoring on a 21-yard run.
Just minutes later,
Quentin Pringle also doubled up his rushing TD tally, capping a five-play, 65-yard Warrior drive with a seven-yard run. The quick-strike score moved the scoreboard to a 35-21 Minnesota State advantage.
The Mavericks would register the final scoring play of the third quarter, using a six-play, 66-yard drive to set up Ekhern to complete a three-yard pass to Tony Anger for the score. With the TD, MSU doubled the Warrior point total, moving to a 42-21 lead over WSU.
The fourth quarter saw a furious WSU comeback effort rack up three of the final four scores in the last 15 minutes of the game.
First,
Sylvere Campbell collected one of the most impressive completions of the season, hauling in a 46-yard pass from
Cole Stenstrom for a touchdown less than two minutes into the fourth quarter.
Minnesota State would match the WSU score with a eight-play drive over 52 yards. MSU's Lawson, Jr. would get over the goal line from one-yard out for what would be the Maverick's final score.
Winona State would turn to a familiar combination in their fourth-quarter comeback attempt, as Stenstrom would again find Campbell for a score, connecting on a 79-yard touchdown reception that brought the Warrior crowd to it's collective feet. Taking just 12 seconds, the Winona State score brought the Warriors to within striking distance, down 49-35.
Following a pair of defensive stops - one for each team - WSU would score again when
Cole Stenstrom finished off a six-play, 75-yard drive with a one-yard quarterback sneak. Upon Scott's successful PAT - his sixth of the game and 33rd-straight of the season - Winona State found themselves within one possession of a tying touchdown.
With 1:24 remaining, the Warrior defense stood tall on a key fourth-down play, holding the Mavericks to no-gain in a 4th-and-1 situation with the game on the line.
After gaining the ball back late, unfortunately for WSU, no further magic was in the cards on the day, as the last four passing attempts failed to yield a touchdown catch. The contest would end in favor of the Mavericks, with Minnesota State beating Winona State 49-42.
Beyond the Boxscore
The 91 combined points between the two teams was the highest scoring game WSU has been a part of in the
Brian Bergstrom era.
Winona State offensive lineman
Jacob Leszczynski tallied his first career reception on a tipped pass in the first half.
Jacob Scott continued to be perfect on PAT's for the season, moving his streak to 33-for-33 on the year, best in the NSIC.
Tristan Root averaged over 50 yards per punt (50.3) and dropped one kick inside the Maverick 20-yard line. Root continues to lead the league in punts inside the 20 with 19.
WSU Stat Standouts
Cole Stenstrom, 16-of-28, 327 yards, 2 TD passes, 1 TD run, 79-yard touchdown toss
Sylvere Campbell, 5 catches, 192 yards, 2 TDs
Quentin Pringle, 140 yards, 2 TD's, 10.8 yard per carry, 75-yard touchdown run
Ty Gavin, 77 yard, 1 TD, 37-yard longest run
Clay Schueffner, 10 total tackles, 1 pass breakup
Kyle Borske, 1 sack
Jacob Leszczynski, 1st career reception.
Jacob Scott, 6-for-6 on PAT attempts
Cayden Holcomb, 6 combined returns, 74 total yards
Team Tangibles
Winona State accrued nearly 600 yards to total offense - 598 to be exact - while Minnesota State was also effective offensively with 536 total yards.
WSU surpassed MSU in passing yards 328 to 327, while the Mavericks out-gained the Warriors on the ground, 271-208
Up Next
Winona State (4-6, 4-5 NSIC) will close out the 2023 season with their final home game of the season, hosting Minot State at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 11 in Altra Federal Credit Union Stadium.
