MOORHEAD, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston football team fell 66-36 to Minnesota State University Moorhead Sat., Nov. 15 in the third-annual Red River Valley Showdown Sponsored by State Farm Insurance. The Golden Eagles accumulated over 300 yards of offense but defensively would give up over 700 as they fell to Dragons. Minnesota Crookston falls to 0-11 in the NSIC, while MSU Moorhead imroves to 4-7 on the season.

The Golden Eagles were led by quarterback Travon Hearns (Fr., Bloomington, Minn./Sports and Rec Management), who was 15-of-25 for 270 yards with four touchdowns and one interception. In addition to Hearns, Adam Connette (Fr., WR, Corona, Calif./Elementary Education) had his best outing with six catches for 126 yards and two touchdowns. Connette also had a 34-yard rush for the Golden Eagles.

Defensively, Greg Lofquist (Sr., LB, South St. Paul, Minn./Criminal Justice) finished his career in fitting fashion, putting up 21 tackles. The total is good for third all-time for total tackles in a single game. Lofquist ends his senior season with an amazing  160 tackles, which shatters the record held by Neil Austin for total tackles in a season. His 98 assisted tackles is also a school record, while his 68 unassisted tackles is also a school record. In addition, he had 13.5 tackles for loss and four sacks. Drew Selvestra (Jr., DL, Eagan, Minn./Criminal Justice) tallied 11 tackles and 1.5 sacks, while A.J. Wallace (Jr., DL, New Richmond, Wis./Sports and Rec Management) also had 11 tackles and 1.5 sacks.

MSU Moorhead running back Zayne Medhaug led the way with 17 carries for 221 yards and five touchdowns, while Demetrius Carr had 26 carries for 131 yards and a touchdown from his quarterback position. Carr was 22-of-36 for 236 yards with two touchdowns and one intercpetion. His top target was Medhaug, who had five catches for 95 yards and a touchdown.

Steve Schutz led the Dragons with seven tackles and one sack.

Michael Swichtenburg started out the scoring for MSU Moorhead with a 22-yard field goal. Later in the first quarter Medhaug would go in for the first of five touchdown runs, this time from three yards out. MSU Moorhead would go ahead 17-0 as Carr from Adam Jiskra from 15 yards out.

The Golden Eagles would strike for the first time late in the first quarter as Hearns found Marcus Cheatham (Sr., WR, Stockton, Calif./Sports and Rec Management) for a seven-yard touchdown to make it 17-6.

The lead would be cut to 17-9 as Michael Maw (So., K, White Bear Lake, Minn./Accounting) connected on a 19-yard field goal.

MSU Moorhead would go ahead 24-9 when Carr went in for a six-yard touchdown run.

However, the Golden Eagles would close the gap to 24-16 as Hearns found Connette for a big 69-yard touchdown.

MSU Moorhead would extend their lead to 31-16 as Medhaug went in for a 69-yard touchdown run late in the second quarter.

The Dragons would extend their lead to 38-16 when Hearns found Cheatham for his second touchdown receptions of the day to make it 38-23. Cheatham finished his career fourth in career touchdown receptions.

The Dragons would find Medhaug at the end of two more scores as he caught a 63-yard touchdown pass from Carr and went in on a 20-yard touchdown run to make it 52-23.

The Golden Eagles would open up the fourth quarter with a score as Hearns connected with Connette for their second touchdown pairing of the day to make it 52-30.

Medhaug would score yet another touchdown, on a 57-yard touchdown run. The running back would account for six touchdowns on the game.

Bryce Jorgenson went in on a one-yard touchdown run to make it 66-30.

The Golden Eagles would one more score as Connette went in on a 34-yard touchdown run.

The game marks the end for UMC's senior class of Greg Lofquist, Sam Smith, John Simmons, Tyler Hansen, Jeff Pryor, Matt Borowicz, Marcus Cheatham, Myint Maung, Caleb Seger and Andrew "Rock" Hall. The 10 player class had four NSIC wins during their time at UMC and helped pick up big rivalry wins over Bemidji State University and Minnesota State University Moorhead last season.

For more information, visit the Golden Eagle Athletics website at www.goldeneaglesports.com.
 
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The University of Minnesota, Crookston is an NCAA Division II Institution and a member of the Northern
Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). The Golden Eagle Equestrian team is a member of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA).