Nov. 11, 2000

Northern State's running game, ranked nationally all season, couldn't get going Saturday on the Metrodome turf as Wisconsin-La Crosse defeated the Wolves 20-14 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference "Border Battle" in Minneapolis.

For the third week, the Wolves were without senior Harlon Hill candidate Tyrone Morgan in the backfield. Morgan suffered a season-ending ankle injury at Minnesota-Crookston Nov. 21.

NSU's rushing stat sheet, which boasted a 100-yard rusher in every game this season, didn't produce even a team total anywhere near 100 yards Saturday. The Wolves ran for just 23 total yards, led by junior fullback Alema Atuaia's (Laie, Hawaii) 17 yards.

Without their staple, the Wolves' passing game suffered as well. Senior quarterback Nate Breske (Webster) completed 16-of-43 pass attempts for 244 yards and a touchdown, but also threw four interceptions. Three senior receivers had good days in the losing effort, led by Adam Syphers (Klamath Falls, Ore.), who had four catches for 123 yards. Stokes Aitken (Salt Lake City, Utah) also had four catches (38 yards). Reggie Schulte (Tyler, Minn.) had five catches for 60 yards, with his last one making the game interesting.

Down 20-7 late in the fourth quarter, Breske connected on a four-yard bullet to Schulte. But NSU couldn't recover its subsequent onside kick attempt and UW-L was able to run out the clock to end the game.

Defensively, senior cornerback Torry Thompson (Layton, Utah) did all he could in his last game, recovering a fumble in the end zone, coming down with an interception and 26-yard return, and returning two kickoffs for 62 yards.