CROOKSTON, Minn.- The University of Minnesota Crookston football team gave No. 15 University of Sioux Falls all they could handle, but a 17-0 second-half run would lead the Cougars past the Golden Eagles for the home opener at Ed Widseth Field. The Golden Eagles were ignited on offense by back-up quarterback Nathan Cole (R-So., Aliso Viejo, Calif.) and wide receiver Adam Connette (So., WR, Corona, Calif.), who's injury at the end of the first half would prove costly.

The Golden Eagles fall to 0-2 on the season despite being down just 28-21 at the half to the Cougars. Sioux Falls improves to 2-0 on the 2015 season.

Minnesota Crookston posted 352 yards of total offense and looked much improved from their performance against Wayne State College (Neb.). Much of that was due to a strong performance from Cole. He would go 17-of-28 for 212 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Connette was also a big part of the offense in several ways, before his injury. The sophomore had four catches for 54 yards and a touchdown and two carries for 25 yards on a touchdown. Rodney Stewart (Fr., WR, Fort Worth, Texas) made his collegiate debut with Connette going off with the injury and did so in fine fashion. Stewart led the team with five catches for 60 yards.

The UMC quarterbacks would connect with seven receivers on the day, including Triston Richert (R-Fr., WR, Oakdale, Minn.), who had three catches for 56 yards and LaMar Daniels, II (Sr., WR, Toledo, Ohio), who had four grabs for 40 yards.

On the ground, Harold Halcomb, III (Jr., RB, Oakland, Calif.) got the start and had nine carries for 47 yards.

Defensively, Lethzee Calderon (Sr., DB, Eagan, Minn.) was everywhere on the field, making play after play, including a career high 15 tackles with three pass break-ups. Brody Davidson (Sr., LB, Crookston, Minn.) added eight tackles.

The Sioux Falls was led by Papilion, who was 17-of-34 for 244 yards with five touchdown passes, proving why he was NSIC Offensive Player of the Year in 2014. Max Mickey also had a strong performance on the ground with 20 carries for 149 yards and a touchdown. Garret Shutt led receivers with six catches for 70 yards, while Josh Angulo had four catches for 69 yards.

Defensively, the Cougars had three interceptions. Cameron Ostrum led the team with 12 tackles and an interception, while Carter Ahlers had 11 tackles, Josh Butler had 10 and Grant Schindler had 10.


The UMC defense would come up with two big stops to open Saturday's game. However, UMC couldn't respond as Tra Hearns (So., QB, Bloomington, Minn.) struggled at quarterback before being pulled due to injury. The Sioux Falls Cougars would get on the board first late in the first quarter as the Cougars marched 85 yards on nine plays culminated in a Papilion five-yard touchdown pass to Angulo.

The Golden Eagles would respond later in the first half as Cole would enter the game and find Connette who would evade tacklers and find his way into the end zone for a 26-yard touchdown grab to make it 7-7. A Kyle Groeneweg 54-yard kickoff return would set the Cougars up in great field position. Sioux Falls would quickly go in for the score as Papilion connected with Shutt for a 27-yard touchdown pass, Papilion's second of the game.

Hearns would come back in the game for a bit, but would have his pass intercepted by Ostrum to again set the Cougars up in great field position at the UMC 39. Four plays later Mickey would go in from six yards out to make it 21-7.

The Golden Eagles would respond later in the quarter as Connette again came up with a big play with a bit of trickery. After an end around, Connette would again evade tacklers and find his way into the end zone for a 22-yard touchdown run. Connette has already had a touchdown pass, a touchdown catch and a touchdown run on the season. The score would bring UMC closer, 21-14.

Sioux Falls would strike later in the quarter as Papilion again connected with Shutt, this time for 15 yards to make it 28-14.

The Golden Eagles wouldn't go away in the half as Cole would take UMC down the field 75 yards in eight players, ending in a six-yard touchdown pass to Josh Zitzmann (Jr., WR, Farmington, Minn.) to cut the lead to 28-21.

UMC would end the half with great momentum as Brett Garner would attempt a late 48-yard field goal, but Isaiah Armstrong (Jr., DL, Fairfield, Calif.) would break through the line for the block to end the half.

The Golden Eagles would struggle to get a whole lot going in the second half though as Sioux Falls controlled the pace of play for the majority of the half.

Early on in the quarter, Papilion would again find Angulo, this time from 12-yards out, to make it 35-21.

After a few defensive stops for Minnesota Crookston, the Cougars would break the stalemate as Papilion found Brady Rose from 10 yards out to make it 42-21.

The UMC defense would stop Sioux Falls in the red zone in the fourth quarter as Calderon made one of many great plays on the game to break-up a pass in the end zone. The Cougars would settle for a 23-yard field goal from Garner to make it 45-21.

UMC would march down the field on the next drive led by completions from Cole to Richert and Stewart.However, they were held to a 41-yard field goal attempt from Mike Maw (Jr., K, White Bear Lake, Minn.) which would be missed.

Sioux Falls would run the clock out and hold on for the 45-21 win.

The Golden Eagles will head to Fayette, Iowa for a Sept. 19 meeting with Upper Iowa University at 6 p.m.

For more information, visit the Golden Eagle Athletics website at www.goldeneaglesports.com.

Follow the Golden Eagles on Facebook at Golden Eagle Sports and on Twitter at @UMCAthletics.

The University of Minnesota Crookston is a NCAA Division II university located in the Red River Valley of Northwest Minnesota. UMC sponsors 11 intercollegiate athletic teams with membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate conference (NSIC) and the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA). The NSIC is a 16-team conference with schools situated in Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska.
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