MSU cornerback Kiante Goudeau (13) pushes a Crookston wideout out of bounds during a college football game on Oct. 28 in Crookston, Minn.  Photo courtesy of Farhan Mohamed

It came down to the wire, but the Minot State football team was finally able to earn its second victory of the season last week after a 42-35 victory over Minnesota Crookston.

The Beavers scored the go-ahead touchdown with 18 seconds left and were boosted by a four-touchdown performance from senior quarterback Zac Cunha.

“I think the most important thing from last week is we were able to taste the fruit of victory again,” MSU coach Mike Aldrich said. “It’s easy to overshadow the importance of a win based on who we’re playing or things like that. But I thought we played really well offensively and I thought Zac Cunha had a great game along with (running back) Larry Overstreet.”

While the offense was dominant and put up its best performance of the season, Aldrich acknowledged there was much left to be desired defensively.

“They kept everything out on the perimeter and we didn’t really play as well as we wanted to,” Aldrich said. “We have a lot to clean up this week. But at the end of the day we got the win and now we’ll try for another this week. We have higher expectations than that on defense and I know our guys know that so we’re going to try and be better this week.”

MSU will try to build off last week and string together a two-game winning streak as it takes on MSU Moorhead in the final home game of the season at 1 p.m. today at Herb Parker Stadium.

“Our seniors have some guys that have been here for five or six years, and they’ve been through a lot with different coaching changes and those kinds of things,” Aldrich said. “So I know it will be special for them to play their last game at Herb Parker. For any senior, that last home game is always an emotional day. For me, I’ve really had to lean on those seniors in my first year leadership wise. Knowing year one of a new coach is looking to the future as opposed to getting down and dirty that season is always a difficult role to be in. But at the beginning of the year, their goal was to leave the program in a better spot than they found it, which I thought was a very mature goal.”

Having a freshman quarterback behind center hasn’t stopped Moorhead from putting up the most passing yards per game in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference this season (248.5). Signal caller Jakup Sinani has taken over after incumbent starter Demetrius Carr had problems turning the ball over. In four games, Sinani has completed 71 percent of his passes (44-of-62) for five touchdowns and one interception. Westhope native and senior wideout Hunter Braaten returns to his home state and leads the team in receptions with 59 catches for 626 yards and a touchdown this season.

On defense, MSU Moorhead has given up its fair share of points, but has excelled at bringing pressure with 27 sacks in nine games.

Meanwhile, Cunha hopes to build from his strong performance last week where he completed 20 of 27 passes for 171 yards and three touchdowns (with one rushing TD) while throwing one interception. Senior running back Overstreet tallied his second 100-yard rushing game of the season with 111 yards and scored the go-ahead touchdown.

Garrick Hodge covers Minot State athletics, the Minot Minotauros and high school sports. Follow him on Twitter @Garrick_Hodge.