MOORHEAD, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston football team fell 41-12 to Minnesota State University Moorhead on their homecoming at Scheels Field at Alex Nemzek Stadium in Moorhead, Minn. The Golden Eagles were led by the play of Mike Maw (Sr., K, White Bear Lake, Minn.), who set a school record with four field goals on the day. Maw had previously just had two field goals on the year. The Dragons would keep the State Farm Traveling Trophy as they won the Red River Valley Showdown for the fourth time in five years.

Minnesota Crookston falls to 0-6 (0-2 NSIC) on the season. MSU Moorhead improves to 3-3 (1-1 NSIC) with the win.

Both teams combined for 26 penalties on the day with MSU Moorhead having 15 and UMC having 11 on the game. 

The Golden Eagles finished the game with just 140 offensive yards. Minnesota Crookston was led offensively by Adam Connette (Jr., WR, Corona, Calif.), who continues his big season with nine grabs for 118 yards. Connette is just four catches and 11 yards from breaking the school records for both career receptions and career receiving yards. The current record-holders are Mark Olsonawski for receptions and Carl Aho for receiving yards. The records have been held for 18 years and 17 years respectively.

Nathan Cole (Sr., QB, Aliso Viejo, Calif.) got the start at quarterback but went out with an injury. Cole was 3-of-9 for 25 yards. Taylor Spier (R-Fr., QB, Buffalo, Minn.) came on in relief and went 8-of-20 for 107 yards with two interceptions.
The Golden Eagles struggled on the ground with just eight rushing yards.

Defensively, Ali Alkhatib (R-So., LB, Rosemount, Minn.) had a strong game with a team-high 11 tackles and his fourth forced fumble of the year. Chuck Lofquist (R-So., LB, South St. Paul, Minn.) added eight tackles and a forced fumble.

MSU Moorhead was led by a big day from Damon Gibson, who had four catches for 140 yards and four touchdown grabs.

The Dragons finished with 441 yards of offense with 240 rushing yards and 201 passing yards. Demetrius Carr went 9-of-16 for 162 yards passing with four touchdown passes. On the ground, Austin Stone led the way with 13 rushes for 79 yards and one touchdown. Denver Colgrove added 16 rushes for 56 yards.

The Dragons would get on the scoreboard on their first drive of the game as Carr hooked up with Gibson for the first time on the day, this time from 29 yards out. A missed Joe Tjosvold extra point would make it 6-0 for MSU Moorhead.

The Golden Eagles would force a turnover later in the first quarter as Lofquist made the hit on Zach Sweep and recovered the fumble at the Dragon 43.

The Golden Eagles would be unable to do much with the turnover as they went three-and-out and had to punt, giving it back to MSU Moorhead.

UMC would be able to get into Dragon territory and would come away with three points as Maw connected for 28-yards out to cut the deficit to 6-3.

After a defensive stop led by an Isaiah Armstrong (Sr., DL, Fairfield, Calif.) sack, UMC would again move the ball into Dragon territory. The Golden Eagles would again come away with three points as Maw connected from 28 yards out.

MSU Moorhead would respond with a big drive led by a Stone 24-yard rush. The Dragons would come away with the touchdown on a one-yard Stone rush to extend the advantage to 13-6.

On the ensuing UMC drive, Abe Roehrich would come through with an interception of a Spier pass to set up the Dragon offense. Carr would strike on the next play with a 46-yard pass to Gibson, for the second time of the game, to make it 20-6.

MSU Moorhead would end the first half with one more score as Carr and Gibson connected for the third time of the game, this time from 19 yards out, to make it 27-6.

The Dragons would come out of the locker room and strike quickly in the third quarter. Carr would connect with Gibson for the fourth time, for another 46-yard touchdown strike, to make it 34-6. The four touchdown passes ties a Dragon record and is the first time since 2006 Bruce Green Nov. 6, 2006 against UMC.

The Golden Eagles would come away with a turnover later in the third quarter as Alkhatib came up with a hit on Colgrove to force his fourth fumble of the season. Ryan Ratcliff (Fr., DL, Bloomer, Wis.) would recover the ball, giving UMC the ball at MSU Moorhead 41.

The Golden Eagles would come away with three points after the turnover as Maw connected on his third field goal of the game, this time from 36 yards out. The field goal tied a school record for UMC. It was the first time since 2000 when Louie Sylvester did it.

Maw would break the school record previously set by Sylvester and Scott Turnbull later in the quarter as he connected from 29 yards out. Sylvester accomplished his three field goals Sept. 16, 2000 against University of Minnesota Duluth.

The Dragons would add one more score as Jack Bixler, an offensive lineman, lined up in the backfield. They gave the ball to Bixler, a senior, who went in for the one-yard touchdown run to make it 40-12.

Minnesota Crookston will return to Ed Widseth Field for Homecoming against University of Mary at 1 p.m.