WOLVES END SEASON WITH METRODOME LOSS

Nov. 9, 2001

Northern State was shutout in the second half to allow a Minnesota State-Moorhead comeback and 24-14 win Friday night at the 2001 Metrodome Classic.

The contest, which kicked off the two-day, five-game Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference event, began with promise for the Wolves. Freshman defensive back TJ Johnson (Groton) forced a fumble, which was picked up and returned to the MSUM 20 by another first-year cornerback Duran Cleveland (Grapeland, Texas). NSU pounded the ball into the end zone with five straight rushes from senior back Tefua Bloomfield (Kearns, Utah).

In the second quarter, senior tight end Josh Graves (Volga, S.D.) earned his one moment in time on the Metrodome turf with a 47-yard touchdown strike from junior quarterback Jake Parten (Sioux City, Iowa).

Graves' outburst put the Wolves up 14-10, but was unfortunately the last major highlight of the night for NSU. The Dragons' punishing ground game, which is tops in the conference and 12th in the nation, took over by sustaining drives. MSUM rushed for 305 yards on the night and held the ball five minutes longer than did NSU.

Junior quarterback Jake Parten finished 14-of-33 for one touchdown and two interceptions. Senior wideout Cody Jamison hauled in four balls for 57 yards, while Bloomfield rushed 22 times for 71 yards. Defensively, junior middle linebacker Sam Mounga (Kearns, Utah) led the team with 11 tackles.

Northern finished the season with a 4-7 overall record and 4-5 league mark. MSUM finished 4-6 overall and 4-5 in the NSIC. Northern's mark is the program's lowest win count since the 1997 season.