Spartans Fall to Wildcats in Homecoming Game

It was homecoming for the M State Spartan football team on Saturday and they welcomed unbeaten North Dakota State College of Science to campus for a MCAC battle which the Wildcats won, 28-7.  With the loss the Spartans go to 1-2 on the season.

One play after an interception return for a touchdown was called back due to holding, NDSCS tallied the first TD of the day when Michael Douglas Jr broke loose for a 23 yard scamper to the end zone.  The extra point kick by Ryndon Olsen gave the visitors a 7-0 lead.

Two second quarter touchdowns increased the NDSCS lead to 21-0.  Quarterback Jacob Mattick connected with Lance Reynolds on a 52 yard TD pass and Olsen tacked on the extra point kick, and Douglas Jr reached the end zone for a second time on a 2 yard run.  After Olsen's third straight PAT kick, NDSCS went into halftime with a 21-0 lead.

M State got on the scoreboard in the third quarter on a five yard run by quarterback Nolan Sharapata.  Gabe Swedenburg was on the receiving end of a pass to the five yard line on the prior play, setting up the TD run.  Bailo Diallo was successful on the extra point kick, cutting the NDSCS lead to 21-7.

A fourth quarter touchdown pass from Jaden Griffin to Jessie Hawkins Jr covered 40 yards on 4th and 15 and Olsen added another PAT kick for the 28-7 final.

Douglas led the ground attack for NDSCS with 106 yards on 16 carries, while Tellise Clark, Jr ran the ball 16 times for 56 yards.  The Wildcats had a total of 201 rushing yards.  Mattick completed 4-of-9 passes for 68 yards and Reynolds was the leading receiver with 4 receptions for 81 yards.  Hawkins, Jr caught 3 passes for 49 yards.  Connor Perkins recorded an interception.

M State was led by Saddam Richardson (11 carries, 22 yards), Sharapata (7 completions, 16 attempts, 87 yards), Harold Berry (2 receptions, 17 yards and Kaden Frazier (3 receptions, 29 yards).  Isaiah Rankine recovered a fumble for the Spartans.

M State takes the long trip to Ely next Saturday for a 3:00pm contest against Vermilion.

The Wildcats (3-0) head to the University of Jamestown on Sunday to face the Jimmies JV.