BOX SCORE
BISMARCK, N.D. – The Southwest Minnesota State defense made a goal line stand in the final two minutes of the game, stopping the University of Mary four times inside the 5-yard line, to earn a thrilling 21-14 victory on Saturday in Bismarck, N.D. It was the conference opener for both schools.
SMSU (2-0, 1-0) cornerback
Curt Gosser led the Mustang defense with two interceptions, two fumble recoveries, one pass break-up and five tackles as the Mustangs move to 2-0 for the second consecutive season. Mary falls to 0-2 overall, 0-1 NSIC. It was the first-ever victory for SMSU over Mary in four games.
Ryan Ratekin led the SMSU offense completing 20 of 36 passes for 194 yards and two touchdowns.
Lester Lewis caught a game-high six passes for 64 yards, including the grabbing the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter.
With SMSU leading 21-14 with 3:51 remaining in the game, UMary took over for its final drive at the SMSU 28-yard line and moved down to the 2-yard line and setting up first and goal. The SMSU defense stopped UMary three times on rushing attempts, pushing the ball back to the 5-yard line. The Mustangs then forced an incompletion on fourth-and-goal from the 5-yard line to seal the victory with 56 seconds remaining.
Nick DeCaneva led the SMSU defense with a career-high 14 tackles while
John Kersbergen added 10 tackles.
Mary scored the game's first points taking the opening kickoff and driving 80 yards in 11 plays with Evan Gross capping the drive with a 6-yard touchdown run with 11 minutes and six seconds left in the opening quarter.
On the ensuing kickoff, UMary took advantage of a strong wind as the kickoff dropped in front of the Mustangs' return men and the Marauders recovered as the SMSU 30-yard line. The Mustang defense came up big on the very next play and forced its first turnover as Gosser intercepted UMary's Craig Bagnell to end the drive at the 13-yard line.
The SMSU offense answered and moved the ball down to the Mary 20-yard line, but a fumble, a penalty and a sack stalled the drive and forced a Mustang punt.
The score remained 7-0 into the second quarter before the Mustangs put together an impressive drive to tie the game. Following a missed UMary field goal, SMSU took over from its own 31-yard line and moved 69 yards in just nine plays with
Gannon Moore bursting through a big hole for a 15-yard touchdown run with 5:15 left in the half to tie the game following
Mike Wenk's extra point.
The Marauders came back and answered with a touchdown drive of its own moving 56 yards in 11 plays with Jamal Lomex plowing in for a 1-yard touchdown with 1:19 remaining in the half to regain the lead and take a 14-7 halftime lead.
SMSU had three of great chances to tie the game early in the second half, starting three consecutive drives in UMary territory, but the offense couldn't pick up a first down during any of the possessions and were forced to punt twice and missed a field goal attempt.
SMSU finally broke through late in the quarter, taking advantage once again of a short field. Following the third UMary punt of the half, SMSU took over at the Mary 41-yard line. The Mustangs picked up a pair of fourth-down conversions to keep the drive alive and finished the drive with Ratekin connecting on a screen pass to
Bret Ballantine for an 18-yard touchdown to tie the game with 2:09 remaining in the quarter.
The Mustang defense then forced a fumble on the next Mary possession and Gosser recovered at the SMSU 37-yard line to set up the Mustang offense once again. Ratekin led SMSU down the field and gave SMSU its first lead of the game with a 18-yard touchdown pass to Lewis, who made an acrobatic catch, to give SMSU a 21-14 lead with 12:07 left in the game.
The two teams exchanged punts before the Marauders took over with 9:31 left in the game and moved the ball down to the SMSU 11-yard line, but again the Mustang defense held strong forcing the Marauders to turn the ball over on downs at the 10-yard line with 4:17 on the clock.
SMSU was unable to move the ball, failing to pick up a first down and was forced to punt setting up the final UMary drive.
Southwest Minnesota State returns home next Saturday, Sept. 18, hosting Bemidji State (1-1, 0-1 NSIC) at 6 p.m. for the annual Smokefest game. Bemidji State has won the last 10 meetings, with SMSU's last victory coming in 1997.
