Football: 12-point deficit erased in final 15 minutes
NDSCS defeated Minnesota State Technical and Community College 20-12 on Sunday to secure a spot in the MCAC title game.
By Aisha Khan ·
The North Dakota State College of Science Wildcats trailed by 12 points at halftime before outscoring the Minnesota State Technical and Community College Spartans 20 to 12 in the second half to win 20-12 on Sunday, November 1.
The game began with eight straight punts, showing a defensive stalemate. The Spartans broke the deadlock first when quarterback Nolan Sharapata connected with Vince Ketchup on a 17-yard pass. An extra point attempt failed. Later, Ketchup caught another touchdown pass, but a missed two-point conversion left Minnesota State ahead 12-0 at the break.
NDSCS started the second half by moving the ball but stalled on fourth down. Kicker Rynden Olson missed a field goal attempt. The momentum shifted when Edward Banks intercepted Sharapata for the second time. Darius Jones then ran 34 yards for a score, cutting the gap to 12-7.
The Wildcats closed the gap further after Mathew Rahming picked off another Spartan pass. Jeremiah Gibson caught an eight-yard touchdown pass to flip the lead 14-12. Jailen Vaughn added a rushing touchdown to seal the victory, though the extra point attempt was missed.
The Wildcats will face Minnesota North College Mesabi-Range in the MCAC championship game. The contest is scheduled for next Sunday at 1:30 p.m. in Rochester, Minnesota.
Source: KBMW-FM
