GRAND FORKS, N.D. – Northern State University outscored the University of Minnesota Crookston 35-3 in the final 32 minutes of the game as they earned a 42-17 win over the Golden Eagles. Minnesota Crookston put up a strong effort as they held a 14-7 lead with just over a minute left in the second quarter. However, Northern State scored 14 points in the last 1:31 of the second quarter to go into the break with a 21-14 advantage. The Wolves used the momentum swing in their favor in the second half by outscoring Minnesota Crookston 21-3.

Saturday night's game was Senior Day for the Golden Eagles as they honored 11 seniors at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks, N.D. The game was the end of the home careers of Will Cross (R-Sr., LB, Turtle Lake, Wis.), LaDerek McCray (Sr., LB, McComb, Miss.), Trevor Long, Jr. (R-Sr., LB, Brooklyn Park, Minn.), Emmitt Stevens (Sr., LB, Albert Lea, Minn.), Joe Warner (Sr., DL, St. Louis Park, Minn.), Logan Huso (Sr., DL, Eagan, Minn.), Jalin Scott (Sr., QB, Houston, Texas), Jonattan Mudd (Sr., WR, Gardena, Calif.), Shonte Smith (Sr., WR, Pacoima, Calif.), Josh Lanasa (Sr., OL, Soo Hill, Mich.), and Austin Brown (Sr., DL, Moreno Valley, Calif.).

Minnesota Crookston falls to 0-10 with the loss. Northern State moves to 6-4 with the victory.

The Golden Eagles looked to be in a strong spot in the early going on Saturday's game, as they had their latest lead in a game that they have had in 2019 with the 14-7 advantage late in the second stanza.

Minnesota Crookston had a strong night through the air as they passed for 410 yards, their best mark in the program's NCAA Division II history. The Golden Eagles were led by Scott, who was 23-of-41 for 255 yards. Tristan Robbins (So., QB, Muskegon, Mich.) finished 4-of-10 for 155 yards and a touchdown. Robbins also added a 36-yard reception.

Mudd had the most receiving yards in a single-game in Minnesota Crookston's NCAA Division II history with eight catches for 170 yards. His mark surpassed his former teammate Rod Stewart's mark of 166 yards against Minnesota Duluth in 2016. Nathan Coy (R-So., WR, Sun Prairie, Wis.) chipped in seven catches for 74 yards, while Kyler Banks (R-Jr., WR, Cannon Falls, Minn.) had two catches for 74 yards and a touchdown.

On the ground, Boyce Harr (R-So., RB, Spearfish, S.D.) paced the team with two carries for 22 yards.

Defensively, Cross guided the team with 11 tackles. Austin Steele (R-So., LB, La Crosse, Wis.) continued to build on a great individual season with nine tackles and two sacks with a forced fumble. Tysen White (Fr., DB, McFarland, Wis.) chipped in eight tackles, while McCray had seven tackles and a sack.

Minnesota Crookston had four sacks moving to 21 in a season. The Golden Eagles surpass their best mark in recent history of 17 in 2016. Steele leads the team with six sacks on the season.

Minnesota Crookston won the offensive yardage battle with 467 over Northern States 438 for the game.

The Wolves were led by Hunter Trautman, who went 18-of-26 with 226 yards with three touchdowns thrown. On the ground, Isaiah Cherrier led the way with 12 carries for 101 yards and a touchdown.

Trautman's top target through the air was Greg Lux with seven grabs for 100 yards and a touchdown. Dakota Larson added six catches for 93 yards and two touchdowns.

Defensively, Chase Teiken led the way for Northern State with seven tackles. Joe Gorghuber added four tackles with 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.

The Golden Eagles started out the scoring with 9:07 left in the first quarter as Larson fumbled an end around and Dylan Wheeler (R-Fr., DL, Arlington, Texas) recovered the ball in the end zone for a touchdown for Minnesota Crookston. The fumble recovery for a touchdown is the first for the Golden Eagles since 2017.

The Golden Eagles went into the second quarter with the 7-0 advantage.

Northern State evened the slate 7-7 early in the second quarter as Trautman rushed in from one-yard out to complete an 80-yard drive on 11 plays.

The Golden Eagles responded nearly two minutes later as Robbins found Banks wide open in the middle of the field and the Cannon Falls-native went untouched into the end zone to put Minnesota Crookston ahead 14-7.

The Golden Eagles got a big stop late in the second quarter led by a sack and forced fumble by Steele, getting the ball back with 6:04 remaining in the stanza.

Minnesota Crookston moved the ball down to the Northern State 41 guided by a 29-yard completion from Robbins to Mudd. However, the drive stalled there as the Golden Eagles were forced to punt.

Northern State responded with an eight-play, 70-yard drive culminated by a 35-yard strike from Trautman to Larson to knot the game up 14-14.

The Wolves quickly got the ball back as Alex Folz (Fr., RB, Spring Grove, Minn.) fumbled on the kickoff, giving Northern State great field position at the Golden Eagle 19. The Wolves went into the locker room up 21-14 after a three-yard rush by Jack Anderson.

Northern State pushed their lead to 28-14 early on their first possession of the third quarter as Cherrier took a 52-yard rush to pay dirt.

Minnesota Crookston looked to counter as they took the ball down to the Northern State 10 on the ensuing drive. The effort was led by a 45-yard completion from Scott to Mudd. The Golden Eagles were able to get a 27-yard field goal from Jared McLemore (So., K, Lucas, Texas) as they cut the deficit to 28-17 with 11:02 left in the third quarter.

Northern State countered as Trautman found Lux for the 30-yard strike to push the lead for the Wolves to 35-17.

The Golden Eagles looked to cut into the Northern State lead late in the third quarter. Minnesota Crookston was able to get the ball all the way down to the one-yard line of the Wolves. The effort was paced by a 19-yard rush by Harr and a 16-yard completion to Mudd. However, Northern State came up with the stop in the red zone as the score remained at 35-17 in favor of the Wolves.

Northern State added a score in the fourth quarter when Trautman connected with Larson for a 24-yard touchdown pass to extend the lead to 42-17.

Minnesota Crookston made a last ditch effort as they got to the Northern State three on the final play when Scott connected with Robbins for a 36-yard strike. However, time ran out on the Golden Eagles as they fell 42-17.

The Golden Eagles conclude the 2019 season in Bismarck, N.D. Sat., Nov. 16 against University of Mary at 2 p.m.