CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston football team fell 41-18 to Concordia University, St. Paul in their home opener Sat., Sept. 10 at Ed Widseth Field in Crookston, Minn. The Golden Eagles held their own against the Golden Bears with 335 yards of offense and 230 all-purpose yards from Rod Stewart (So., WR, Fort Worth, Texas), but inopportune penalties and turnovers would be enough to thwart UMC's efforts against Concordia-St. Paul on the gridiron Saturday.

The Golden Eagles were much more successful this week at getting their offensive weapons involved. Andre Person (Sr., RB, Detroit, Mich.), a 2015 All-NSIC North Second Team pick, finished with 21 carries for 108 yards. Person and Harold Halcomb, III (Sr., RB, Oakland, Calif.) made for a nice duo in the backfield, as Halcomb finished with 10 rushes for 59 yards with a touchdown.

Nathan Cole (Sr., QB, Aliso Viejo, Calif.) would finish the day 20-of-31 for 180 yards and an interception. He was much more successful at finding his top target Adam Connette (Jr., WR, Corona, Calif.), who finished with nine catches for 64 yards. Stewart would have five receptions for 67 yards.

Stewart was a big weapon for the Golden Eagles in the return game as he had five returns of 157 yards for an average of 31.4 yards per return. His long return of the game was 54.

Defensively, UMC looked to Ali Alkhatib (R-So., LB, Rosemount, Minn.) with nine tackles and two tackles for loss. Bubba Cook (So., DL, Surprise, Ariz.) added four tackles, one sack and one tackle for loss, while Casey Kraska (Jr., DL, Stephen, Minn.) had one sack, one tackle for loss and a forced fumble and recovery.

The Golden Bears looked to potent quarterback Ron Johnson, who was 18-of-27 with 239 yards through the air for three touchdowns. Johnson competed his first 15 passes of the game. Darius Chapes was big in the running game for Concordia-St Paul with 11 carries for 97 yards. Bruce Russell was Johnson's top target with four grabs for 60 yards and two touchdowns.

Defensively, J.J. Przybylka was inserted into the starting line-up at game time and was crucial with 17 tackles, one sack and one tackle for loss. Dominic Nabak finished with six tackles and a 70-yard interception return for a touchdown.

Stewart would start out the day on a great note as he returned the opening kickoff 42 yards to give the Golden Eagles great field position to start the game. The Golden Eagles looked poised to score on their opening drive as they would get the ball down to the CSP 18, but a holding penalty and two incompletions would lead to a 40-yard field goal attempt from Mike Maw (Sr., K, White Bear Lake, Minn.), who would miss wide left.

The Golden Bears would make the most of the missed opportunity for Minnesota Crookston. Concordia-St. Paul would drive 78 yards on 10 plays, culminating in a one-yard touchdown run for Johnson to make it 7-0.

UMC would counter with a 10-play, 69-yard drive of their own, which was led by the performance of Halcomb, who would have five carries for 50 yards on the drive. Halcomb would go in from two-yards out to complete the possession for the Golden Eagles.

UMC would stop the Golden Bears on a drive at the Golden Eagle 25 and force a field goal. Jonas Schenderlein would hit from 42 yards out to make it 10-7 Concordia-St. Paul.

The Golden Eagles would look to counter again as they would get the ball down to the Concordia-St. Paul 10 after a completion from Cole to Connette. 

However, Maw would miss again as his field goal was blocked by Ryan McKee.

Concordia-St. Paul would regain possession and make the most of it as they would go 80-yards on nine plays culminating with Johnson finding Russell from nine yards out to extend the margin to 17-7.

The Golden Bear defense would force the first punt of the day on UMC's next drive. Concordia-St. Paul would again move the football, ending with a 41-yard strike from Johnson to a wide open Russell, who went untouched into the end zone to make it 24-7 Golden Bears.

After failed drives by both teams, UMC would regain the ball and would look to cut the gap with 44 seconds left. However, a ball would jump off the hands of a UMC receiver into Nabak's, who would go 70 yards into the end zone to give the Golden Bears all of the momentum going into the break with a 31-7 lead.

The Golden Bears would use their momentum coming out of the break and would quickly add to their lead as Johnson threw his third touchdown pass of the day, this time finding Chapes for the 10-yard touchdown to make it 38-7.

UMC's luck would look to turn later in the third as Kraska forced a Johnson fumble on a sack. Kraska would recover the ball at the CSP 10, giving the Golden Eagles great field position.

A pass interference penalty would hurt Minnesota Crookston, but they would get three as Maw hit from 36 yards out to make it 38-10.

The Golden Eagles would strike again as a snap went over the head of punter Sam Maedke. Maedke would try the shovel the ball to an opponent in the end zone, but it would be ruled intentional grounding, as UMC picked up the safety to cut the deficit to 38-12.

The Golden Bears extended their lead to 41-12 after a 52-yard field goal from Schenderlein in the fourth quarter.

UMC would strike on the next play as Person had a one-yard touchdown run to complete a nine-play, 75 yard drive. Cole would just miss on the two-point conversion attempt as the Golden Eagles would cut the lead to 41-18. And that is where the score would stay.

The Golden Eagles will return to action Sat., Sept. 17 at 1 p.m. against No. 21 Augustana University.