Late Field Goal Sinks Mavericks, 38-35
North Dakota took advantage of a fourth quarter interception and turned it into a 26-yard field goal by Brandon Hellevang, then shut down Nebraska-Omaha over the final 2:45 to hand the Mavericks a 38-35 setback in an NCAA Division II second round playoff game at Caniglia Field Saturday in front of 5,312.
The Mavericks end their season 8-3, while 11-1 North Dakota, whose only loss was to UNO in Omaha on Oct. 14, will advance to the Northwest Region final at Grand Valley State next Saturday.
The Mavericks set a handful of post-season records, led by junior quarterback Zach Miller who ran for four touchdowns and rushed for 152 yards. UNO, the nation's top rushing team, ran for 319 yards and had 413 yards of total offense.
Tailback Kyle Kasperbauer also went over 100 yards rushing with 113 yards on 16 carries and finished his season with 1,288 yards, fifth-best in school history. Miller's 152 yards put him at 1,098, the ninth-best total. Miller is the third UNO QB to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season and it is the first time since 1999 that the Mavericks have had two 1,000-yard rushers in a season. Miller also set a school record with 19 touchdowns.
UND quarterback Reed Manke completed 22 of 31 passes for 260 yards and three scores for, with Weston Dressler catching 9 for 78 yards and Brady Trenbeath 7 for 125. Ryan Chappel ran for 109 yards on 25 attempts as the Sioux totaled 379 yards in offense.
Miller's fourth TD, and second of the second half, and Andrew McCawley's PAT kick, tied the game at 35 less than two minutes into the fourth quarter. Senior free safety Jason Jones end North Dakota's ensuing drive at the UNO 20 and returned it six yards with 10:47 to play.
The Sioux returned the favor as free safety Rory Manke snatched a Miller pass at the UND 32 and returned it 17 yards with 8:16 to play. Chappell picked up 35 yards on six straight carries as the Sioux positioned themselves for a field goal. After stalling on third down at the UNO 9, Hellevang gave UND the lead for good.
UNO gave the ball up on downs with 58 seconds left, stymied by a holding penalty and two incomplete passes.
Dressler returned the opening kickoff 66 yards to the UNO 28, setting up a two-yard TD pass from quarterback Reed Manke to Blair Grover. UNO answered with a one-yard run by Miller after a 76-yard drive that was punctuated by Miller's 51-yard dash to the UND 19. The PAT kick was blocked, however.
Dressler gave UND a 14-6 lead with a six-yard run on the next Sioux possession, but UNO came back with a 75-yard drive, scoring on Miller's 14-yard run to slice the margin to 14-13.
The Mavericks finally claimed the lead early in the second quarter when tailback Nate Wurth squirted out of a tight spot to sprint 54 yards for a score and a 20-14 lead.
The Sioux then put together two long drives to take the lead at the half. Manke passed 39 yards to Brady Trenbeath midway through the quarter for a 21-20 lead. Then, after UND's Alex Caewell blocked a McCawley field goal attempt, Manke led a 78-yard, 10-play drive that was capped by a 19-yard scoring pass on third down to Dressler with 50 seconds left for a 28-20 edge at the break.
The Mavericks marched 81 yards with the second half kickoff and scored on Miller's two-yard run, then tied the game at 28 on a two-point PAT by Kyle Kasperbauer.
Again, the Sioux had a response, going 92 yards in 12 plays to take the lead on a one-yard run by Brandon Brady, 35-28, with 61 seconds left in the third quarter.
Miller and the Mavericks tied the game at 35 with a 65-yard drive that was highlighted by pass plays of 37 and 15 yards to tight end Zac Herold.
The Mavericks end their season 8-3, while 11-1 North Dakota, whose only loss was to UNO in Omaha on Oct. 14, will advance to the Northwest Region final at Grand Valley State next Saturday.
The Mavericks set a handful of post-season records, led by junior quarterback Zach Miller who ran for four touchdowns and rushed for 152 yards. UNO, the nation's top rushing team, ran for 319 yards and had 413 yards of total offense.
Tailback Kyle Kasperbauer also went over 100 yards rushing with 113 yards on 16 carries and finished his season with 1,288 yards, fifth-best in school history. Miller's 152 yards put him at 1,098, the ninth-best total. Miller is the third UNO QB to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season and it is the first time since 1999 that the Mavericks have had two 1,000-yard rushers in a season. Miller also set a school record with 19 touchdowns.
UND quarterback Reed Manke completed 22 of 31 passes for 260 yards and three scores for, with Weston Dressler catching 9 for 78 yards and Brady Trenbeath 7 for 125. Ryan Chappel ran for 109 yards on 25 attempts as the Sioux totaled 379 yards in offense.
Miller's fourth TD, and second of the second half, and Andrew McCawley's PAT kick, tied the game at 35 less than two minutes into the fourth quarter. Senior free safety Jason Jones end North Dakota's ensuing drive at the UNO 20 and returned it six yards with 10:47 to play.
The Sioux returned the favor as free safety Rory Manke snatched a Miller pass at the UND 32 and returned it 17 yards with 8:16 to play. Chappell picked up 35 yards on six straight carries as the Sioux positioned themselves for a field goal. After stalling on third down at the UNO 9, Hellevang gave UND the lead for good.
UNO gave the ball up on downs with 58 seconds left, stymied by a holding penalty and two incomplete passes.
Dressler returned the opening kickoff 66 yards to the UNO 28, setting up a two-yard TD pass from quarterback Reed Manke to Blair Grover. UNO answered with a one-yard run by Miller after a 76-yard drive that was punctuated by Miller's 51-yard dash to the UND 19. The PAT kick was blocked, however.
Dressler gave UND a 14-6 lead with a six-yard run on the next Sioux possession, but UNO came back with a 75-yard drive, scoring on Miller's 14-yard run to slice the margin to 14-13.
The Mavericks finally claimed the lead early in the second quarter when tailback Nate Wurth squirted out of a tight spot to sprint 54 yards for a score and a 20-14 lead.
The Sioux then put together two long drives to take the lead at the half. Manke passed 39 yards to Brady Trenbeath midway through the quarter for a 21-20 lead. Then, after UND's Alex Caewell blocked a McCawley field goal attempt, Manke led a 78-yard, 10-play drive that was capped by a 19-yard scoring pass on third down to Dressler with 50 seconds left for a 28-20 edge at the break.
The Mavericks marched 81 yards with the second half kickoff and scored on Miller's two-yard run, then tied the game at 28 on a two-point PAT by Kyle Kasperbauer.
Again, the Sioux had a response, going 92 yards in 12 plays to take the lead on a one-yard run by Brandon Brady, 35-28, with 61 seconds left in the third quarter.
Miller and the Mavericks tied the game at 35 with a 65-yard drive that was highlighted by pass plays of 37 and 15 yards to tight end Zac Herold.
