Spoiler
Bemidji State scores 15 unanswered points to upend Minot StateBy MICHAEL LINNELL, Sports Editor mlinnell@minotdailynews.com
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When Minot State University's Johnny Lester returned the opening kick of the second half for a touchdown, it looked like the Beavers were on their way to snapping a five-game streak to its namesake foes from Bemidji State.
But BSU kept plugging away - five yards here, six there - until Bemidji racked up enough yards to rally.
Bemidji, an NCAA Division II team from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, scored 15 unanswered points in the second half and spoiled the season opener for Minot, a NAIA team from the Dakota Athletic Conference, winning 27-24 in nonconference college football Thursday night at Herb Parker Stadium.
"We said keep playing," BSU quarterback Derek Edholm said. "(Minot) did a great job of coming out and getting going and it was a great atmosphere here - I think we might have had a little butterflies early. But we started to come together and kept after it."
Edholm picked away at the MSU secondary to the tune of 321 yards on 33 completions with the vast majority coming on swing passes and screens.
"We went empty (in the backfield) and it took them a little while to adjust," he said. "That sets up a lot of stuff in the offense. We want to get the ball to the edge because we feel we have some guys who can do some stuff on the edge."
Edholm orchestrated two touchdown drives in the second half. The first was a nine-play, 75-yard march the culminated in a Brandon Miles 3-yard run. The second was shorter, four plays, 36 yards, but proved to be the game winner as he hit George Kadlec for a 3-yard fade.
"The defense was on the field way too much," MSU head coach Paul Rudolph said. "We had too many 3-and-outs and they (Bemidji) executed their offense. They ran it well and it got us away from what is our strength which is the front seven guys. The ball comes out in a hurry and it was tough to put much pressure on them."
MSU's defense was on the field to the tune of 36 1/2 minutes in part to three MSU turnovers, too many 3-and-outs and two spectacular returns by Lester.
"We were on the field a lot, maybe a little too much," MSU senior linebacker Ryan Riemedio said. "But that's football. Bemidji is a DII school and it was a hard-fought game. We just have to pick it up next week."
Lester changed the game twice, once on a punt return in the second quarter and the 88-yard kick return to start the third. On the punt return, Lester made a couple of good open field moves early and got a great block from linebacker Martel Pope to go 73 yards. On the kick return, Lester found a seem and burst through it, getting a good downfield block late in the run.
"I couldn't have done it without my teammates," Lester said. "(On the punt return) I saw a bunch of Bemidji players in front, but the guys made some plays. We had some great plays, but it could have been better. We have some work to do."
"He can sure change a game," Rudolph said of Lester. "The guys know that and they are working hard for him."
MSU opened the scoring with a big run by All-American Nick Banks. Banks' burst through the left side of the line and out ran everybody 46 yards for a score to make it 7-0. Miles countered for Bemidji early in the second quarter and Edholm hit Kadlec with a 36-yard strike - his longest completion of the day- with nine minutes to play in the half to give BSU a 12-7 lead.
"We started to come together," Edholm said. "I played five games last year and that experience helped."
Banks finished with 133 yards on 19 carries for MSU. Minot's quarterback Jon Meier was 11-for-24 with two interceptions and just 107 yards.
"We threw out of a well for the better part of the game," Rudolph said. "We didn't help Jon get comfortable back there and at times Jon didn't allow himself to be too comfortable. There wasn't a good marriage between skill guys and the line.
"I have a sour taste in my mouth about how we were out physicaled at times, but we will be all right."
Kadlec finished with 120 yards receiving for Bemidji and Miles added 72 yards rushing for the game. BSU held a 440-251 total offense edge and ran 29 more plays than Minot.
MSU will have to rebound against another NSIC team as they travel to Concordia-St. Paul (Minn.) for a 1 p.m. game Saturday, Sept. 6, at Griffin Stadium.
