Metrodome Classic

Nov. 5th, 2005	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final	Records
SW Minnesota State	3	0	3	0	6	4-7, 1-6 NSIC
Northern State	0	3	7	0	10	6-5, 5-2 NSIC

Ginsbach with one of his 11 catches in the game.

Northern State University had won the last 13 meetings against its NSIC rivals from Southwest Minnesota State. Make that 14 -- but the Mustangs kept it close.

The Wolves did not let the news that Concordia/St. Paul's win meaning they would not be able to tie for second in the NSIC, nor would they make the Mineral Water Bowl bring them down.

Instead, the team ground out a 10-6 victory over the Mustangs in the final game of the NSIC/Merchants Bank Metrodome Football Classic Saturday night.

"It was one of those games," Wolves coach Chris Boden said. "We were moving the ball every which way, we just couldn't score."

Southwest Minnesota's biggest ground gainer of the night was on the opening kickoff, as Julius Johnson hustled the ball 53 yards to the Northern State 33-yard line.

The Mustangs would bully the ball to the 12-yard line, but the drive would stall and Southwest would have to settle for a 24-yard field goal off the leg of Eric Oldenkamp.

"We were working and battling hard out there," Mustangs coach Eric Eidsness said. "We just couldn't get that one break out there that might have changed the game.

Both teams exchanged possessions in a battle of field position over the next 26-plus minutes, yet neither team was able to score until Northern State kicker Adam Kleckner sent the Mustangs and Wolves to their respective locker rooms in a 3-3 tie on the strength of a 33-yard field goal 23 seconds before the half.

Northern State burst forth from halftime with the difference-making 65 yard, 14-play drive that resulted in the game's first touchdown, as Wolves quarterback John Russell hit wide receiver Greg Agho on a 2-yard bootleg pass in the back of the endzone.

"That felt great," Boden said of the score. "We had been moving the ball so well, it was frustrating not to be able to score."

After Southwest Minnesota State went three-and-out, Northern State got back to the business of grinding out the yards and moving the chains with a time-consuming mixture of runs and short passes.

It worked too, until Mustangs defensive tackle Jon Kubat intercepted the ball on one such short pass to set his Southwest teammates up at the Northern State 35-yard line.

"I was so proud of how the team played tonight," Eidsness said, motioning to his team. "They never quit, and they were always looking to make the play. Those players have a lot of character."

Yet, seven plays later, all Southwest had to show for Kubat's efforts was another Oldenkamp field goal. This time is was a 33-yard boot that left the score at 10-6 in favor of the Wolves.

"It's kind of how our season went this year," Eidsness said. "An extra inch here or there, and it could have been a whole different result."

The teams went back to exchanging possessions after that, yet with the Mustangs slowly but surely winning the battle of field position. With 8:32 remaining, Southwest Minnesota State began its drive at the Northern State 44-yard line.

Southwest State moved deep into Northern State territory, pushing to the 19-yard line before the Wolves' Kaleb Bowman forced a 15-yard loss after bursting into the backfield on a busted play.

The Mustangs were never the same after Wolves defensive back Shawn Warren intercepted quarterback Tony Rislov two plays later. Warren returned the ball 34 yards to midfield with less than six minutes remaining.

"It got pretty tight there for a bit, but we made a couple of big interceptions to square the game away," Boden said.

The Wolves would fail to convert on a fourth and 8, turning the ball back over to the Mustangs at their own 20 with under 3:30 to go in the game. With the Mustangs down by four, it would take an 80-yard drive to win -- a field goal would not suffice.

They would get 30 yards before Wolves defensive back Nate McGruder effectively ended the Mustangs' season with an interception at the Northern State 18-yard line. Russell took a knee as Northern State sent its fans out on a positive note with a 10-6 victory.

"It's a great win," Boden said. "We got it done against a very good, up-and-coming football team. It's a good way to end the season."

For the Wolves, Russell finished off the game with 294 yards passing with 34 completions on 52 attempts. He was picked off twice. Wide receiver Wade Ginsbach hauled in 11 catches for 102 yards as running back Chuck Driscoll rumbled for 72 yards on 19 carries. Russell set the NSU record for completions in a game with 34 in the game.

For the Mustangs, Rislov passed for 88 yards on eight completions. He was sacked once and intercepted twice. Wideout Ray Denson caught seven passes for 74 yards and running back Charles Hillesheim ran for 106 yards on 20 carries.

With the win, Northern State finishes third in the NSIC with a 5-2 conference mark (6-5 overall). The loss means that Southwest Minnesota State will finish seventh in the NSIC with a 1-6 mark; the Mustangs are 5-6 overall.

First Quarter

SMSU Oldenkamp 29 field goal, 12:58.

Second Quarter

NSU Kleckner 33 field goal, 0:23.

Third Quarter

NSU Agho 2 pass from Russell (Kleckner kick), 8:49.

SMSU Oldenkamp 33 field goal, 0:19.

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