Oct. 21, 2000

Capitalizing on six Northern State fumbles, Minnesota-Crookston put a serious wrench in Northern State's bid for winning back-to-back outright conference titles with a 25-21 win in Crookston, Minn., Saturday.

The Wolves (5-3 overall, 4-2 NSIC) led for most of the game but let UMC hang around with untimely turnovers. For their part, the Golden Eagles took advantage of NSU's miscues, scoring on three of the six fumbles. Another big blow to the Wolves came in the first half, when senior Harlon Hill candidate and NCAA II leading rusher Tyrone Morgan (San Fernando, Calif.) went down with an ankle injury. He would not return, ending the day with 18 rushes for 78 yards.

Filling in more than admirably for Morgan was junior bruiser back Shane Carter (Aberdeen), who ended the day with 30 carries for 188 yards and two touchdowns. NSU's ground game carried the brunt of the load for the team's offensive output on the day, as Crookston's defense and a howling wind held NSU's aerial attack to just 7-of-20 for 89 yards.

Despite a horrendous start, the Wolves looked to have taken control of the game in the fourth quarter with a 12-yard touchdown run by Carter which put the team ahead 21-12. But that cushion was shortlived, as UMC came roaring back on the ensuing kickoff with an 80-yard touchdown run on the first play from scrimmage to pull to within 21-19. Symbolic for the day, the play that did the Wolves in and capped the scoring came on a fumble, as UMC's Neil Austin scooped up the offensive offering and rumbled 32-yards to put the Golden Eagles up for good.

Defensively, NSU was led by junior linebacker Booker T. Bell III (Diamond Bar, Calif.), who tallied nine tackles including one for loss on the day.