GRAND FORKS, N.D. – The University of Sioux Falls scored 35 second quarter points on their way to a 52-14 win over the University of Minnesota Crookston football team. The Cougars used a huge momentum boost from an 80-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Thuro Reisdorfer. Minnesota Crookston had gotten right into the thick of the game with an 11-yard touchdown pass from Tristan Robbins (So., QB, Muskegon, Mich.) to Alex Folz (Fr., RB, Spring Grove, Minn.) as they cut the lead to 10-7 early in the second quarter. Minnesota Crookston was unable to rebound from Sioux Falls' second quarter onslaught.

The Golden Eagles fall to 0-6 with loss, while Sioux Falls moved to 4-2 on the season. Saturday's game was played at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks, N.D., as the game was relocated due to winter weather in the Red River Valley. The tilt was played in one of the premier venues in North Dakota, which as an indoor venue provided shelter from this weekend's storm.
Minnesota Crookston scored their first defensive touchdown of the season on a LaDerek McCray (Sr., LB, McComb, Miss.) 36-yard interception return for a touchdown in the third quarter.

In addition, the Golden Eagles surpassed their 2018 total for sacks with three on the day to move to 15 already on the season. Minnesota Crookston has been great with putting pressure on the quarterback this season. The Golden Eagles had their best season in recent history with 18 sacks during the 2016 slate. Dylan Wheeler (R-Fr., DL, Arlington, Texas) and Tysen White (Fr., DB, McFarland, Wis.) each notched a sack. Joe Warner (Sr., DL, St. Louis Park, Minn.) and Austin Erdmann (R-Fr., DL, Little Falls, Minn.) both chipped in a half sack.

In addition, Skyler Quinn (R-Jr., DL, Evansville, Minn.) had a forced fumble, while McCray added an interception.

Folz, a converted high school quarterback, had a unique stat line. He had a recovered fumble on special teams, his first career touchdown reception, a kickoff return for 22 yards, and nine punts for an average of 35.8 yards with three punts inside the 20-yard line.
Robbins saw the majority of the snaps at quarterback. He was 15-of-25 for 140 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He added 12 rushes for 28 yards.

Jonattan Mudd (Sr., WR, Gardena, Calif.) led all receivers with seven catches for 53 yards. Mudd is having a strong season with 28 catches for 361 yards and four touchdowns. Nathan Coy (R-So., WR, Sun Prairie, Wis.) chipped in three catches for 35 yards, while Jeremy Neuman (R-Jr., WR, Andover, Minn.) had three catches for 25 yards.
McCray led the team with eight tackles, along with Free Borsey (R-So., DB, Bellingham, Wash.).

Sioux Falls looked to Caden Walters, who was 16-of-18 for 277 yards and three touchdowns. Walters also rushed six times for 57 yards and two touchdowns. He accounted for five of the Cougars' seven touchdowns on the day.

Ja'Tai Jenkins led the running backs with 14 rushes for 92 yards. Winston Maxwell added nine rushes for 50 yards.

Nate Johnson led the Cougars with five catches for 70 yards and a touchdown, while Ben Sokop chipped in two grabs for 65 yards.

Defensively, Max Sturdevant paced the team with eight tackles, three tackles for loss, and an interception. DaMarcus Miles and Tucker Stout each had sacks, while Stout also added a forced fumble.

After being halted on their first drive on Saturday, the Golden Eagles quickly got the ball back as Quinn forced a fumble on a Johnson kickoff return, with Folz recovering at the Minnesota Crookston 40.

The Golden Eagles were unable to move the ball on their second try, as they punted it back over to Sioux Falls.

The Cougars went 65 yards on 11 plays on the ensuing drive ending with a 36-yard field goal from Daniel Esparza to put USF up 3-0.

After a defensive stop, Sioux Falls added to their lead as Walters rushed nine yards to pay dirt to push the advantage out to 10-0.

The Golden Eagles answered in the early second quarter as they marched 69 yards on seven plays. Minnesota Crookston's drive ended with an 11-yard touchdown pass from Robbins to Folz. The drive was led by a 16-yard pass from Robbins to Eli Solberg (R-Fr., WR, Rogers, Minn.).
Sioux Falls quickly took the wind out of Minnesota Crookston's sails as Reisdorfer went 80 yards along the sideline for the kickoff return for a touchdown.

USF got the ball back after a defensive stop at their own 42-yard line. Sioux Falls extended their lead to 24-7 on a 33-yard run by Walters.

Another defensive stop gave the Cougars great field position at the Minnesota Crookston 45. Following a 44-yard pass from Walters to Sokop, he connected with his other tight end Kyle Barnetche for the one-yard score. The touchdown extended the lead to 31-7.
The Cougars got the ball right back on a Parker Gregston interception. On the following play, Walters found Johnson for a 39-yard strike to extend the lead to 38-7.

Minnesota Crookston marched the ball down to the Sioux Falls 40 on the next drive. However, Robbins had a pass intercepted by Zebadiah Selu. Following a 41-yard return, Sioux Falls had another great chance after a Minnesota Crookston penalty gave USF the ball at the opposing 15.
Sioux Falls found the end zone on a three-yard pass from Walters to Reisdorfer to extend the lead to 45-7. That would be the tally going into the locker room.

USF took their first drive of the second half 66 yards on eight plays ending with a Mitchell Martin five-yard touchdown run to widen the lead out to 52-7.

Later in the third quarter, Martin had a pass intercepted by McCray and taken 36 yards to the end zone for the defensive score for the Golden Eagles to cut the lead to 52-14.

Neither team would find the end zone in the fourth quarter as Sioux Falls took the 52-14 win in Grand Forks, N.D.

Minnesota Crookston hits the road Sat., Oct. 19 for a 3 p.m. kickoff against Upper Iowa University in Fayette, Iowa.