Jacks retain Dakota Marker in Fargodome thriller

Saturday, November 22

Fargo, N.D.

6 p.m.

South Dakota State University

7-5 , 6-2

North Dakota State

6-5 , 4-4

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

South Dakota State

North Dakota State

11/22/2008 1:00:00 AM | Football

Box Score

By: SDSU Sports Info

FARGO, N.D. -- Ryan Berry connected with JaRon Harris on a 1-yard touchdown with 2 minutes, 20 seconds remaining in the game, and then threw the game-winning two-point conversion to Mike Steffen, lifting South Dakota State to a 25-24 victory Saturday night in the battle for the Dakota Marker before a crowd of 18,428 at the Fargodome.

The win, SDSU's first in Fargo since the Kennedy Administration, sealed sole possession of third place in the Missouri Valley Football Conference for the Jackrabbits in their inaugural season in the league. SDSU ended the season 6-2 in the MVFC and 7-5 overall. NDSU dropped to 6-5 overall, 4-4 in the MVFC.

The Jackrabbit heroics came after Berry left the game in the first quarter due to injury. A senior from Watertown, Berry re-entered the game midway through in the fourth quarter after backup Ryan Crawford was injured, but was sacked twice on his first drive.

With SDSU trailing 24-17 after a Bison field goal with 6:32 remaining, the game-winning drive began at the Jackrabbit 32. Kyle Minett opened the drive with a 12-yard run and the Jackrabbits picked up another first down on a pass interference penalty. Berry then found his rhythm, connecting with Harris on three consecutive passes, including a 19-yarder that had an additional 15 yards tacked on for a personal foul against the Bison that moved the ball to the NDSU 13.

Berry took over the career passing yardage lead at SDSU on the drive, which culminated when he hit Harris on a slant on second-and-goal for the 1-yard touchdown that made the score 24-23 in favor of NDSU. Rather than kick an extra point to potentially force overtime, SDSU opted for the two-point conversion and ran nearly an identical play with Steffen scoring on a slant.

Just as they did the year before against NDSU, the Jackrabbits came up with a late interception to seal the victory. On the second play of the drive, Conrad Kjerstad intercepted a Nick Mertens pass at the NDSU 44 and returned it 17 yards to the NDSU 27 with 1:58 remaining.

The Jackrabbits were unable to completely run out the clock, turning the ball over on downs at the NDSU with only two seconds remaining. NDSU's final play was a completed pass that was later fumbled and recovered by Jackrabbit senior defensive lineman Eric Schroeder.

SDSU built an early 9-0 lead behind three field goals of 40 or more yards by sophomore kicker Peter Reifenrath. Penalties stalled Jackrabbit drives early on, but Reifenrath made field goals on each of the Jackrabbits' first two possessions from 41 and 40 yards in the first quarter. NDSU's Shawn Bibeau missed a 44-yard field goal wide left on the Bison's first drive.

With Berry shaken up, Crawford led the Jackrabbits on their next scoring drive,directing SDSU on a 16-play, 61-yard drive that chewed up 8 minutes and 54 seconds before ending with Reifenrath connecting again from 41 yards with 8:55 remaining in the second quarter. Crawford, who had attempted only seven passes all season prior to Saturday, was 4-for-4 on the drive for 30 yards. Tyler Duffy also gained 28 yards on the ground.

The Bison scored the first touchdown of the game on their next possession, marching 75 yards on nine plays, culminaing with a Tyler Roehl 1-yard run with 3:45 left in the first half.

NDSU appeared on the verge of taking a halftime lead, but Bibeau's 29-yard field goal attempt in the closing seconds was blocked by Schroeder.

The Bison did gain the lead on the opening drive of the second half as Mertens capped a seven-play, 73-yard drive with a 1-yard quarterback keeper at the 11:43 mark of the third quarter. Bibeau added the extra point to give NDSU a 14-9 lead.

SDSU responded with its longest kickoff return of the season, 72 yards by Cole Brodie, which put the Jackrabbits deep in Bison territory at the NDSU 23. Six plays later, on third-and-six, Crawford hit Minett along the left sideline for an 8-yard touchdown. The two-point conversion was good was Minett took a late pitch from Crawford and dove to the right corner of the end zone, giving SDSU a 17-14 advantage.

The Bison regained the lead moments later on a 23-yard pass from Mertens to Jerimiah Wurzbacher. The quick-scoring drive covered 69 yards on four plays.

NDSU had an opportunity to break the game open after partially blocking a punt on the Jackrabbits' next possession and taking over at the SDSU 29. However, the Jackrabbit defense held NDSU without a first down before Bibeau made his lone field goal of the night, a 39-yarder with 6:32 remaining.

Berry ended the night 8-of-11 passing for 80 yards, ending his career with 6,023 yards to surpass the previous Jackrabbit career yardage record of 6,016 previously held by Ted Wahl from 1985-88.

Crawford was 10-of-13 for 50 yards.

Harris led Jackrabbit receivers with eight catches for 60 yards, while Colin Cochart added four receptions for 46 yards. Cochart hauled in a 32-yard reception on the first play from scrimmage in the game.

Minett gained 85 yards on 22 carries, as he finished the year with the sixth-highest single-season rushing total at SDSU with 1,289 yards.

For NDSU, Mertens ended the game 15-of-27 passing for 239 yards and also was the leading rusher for the Bison with 58 yards on eight carries. Roehl was limited to 33 yards on 12 carries.

Kole Heckendorf led the Bison with five catches for 96 yards.

Defensively, NDSU applied constant pressure and recorded seven sacks. Joe Lardinois had two sacks among his seven tackles, while Cyrus Lemon and Mike Maresh each tallied a game-high 12 tackles.

Jimmy Rogers led SDSU with eight stops.

NOTES: SDSU became the first road team to win the Dakota Marker and hold a 3-2 advantage in Dakota Marker games ... NDSU leads the all-time series 51-39-5 ... the Jackrabbits have won four of the last seven meetings ... SDSU's last win in Fargo was 17-6 in 1962 ... Harris took over the team lead in receptions with 70 ... Glen Fox was limited to one catch, ending the season with 66 catches ... SDSU held a 35:18 to 24:42 advantage in time of possession ... Crawford's touchdown pass was the first of his career