Ryan Ladika/MDN Running back Aaron Wood carries the ball early in the first quarter of Minot State’s Saturday night loss to Mankato.

“The biggest message is to just keep fighting.”

Beavers head football coach Mike Aldrich simply preached perseverance in the face of the overwhelming adversity Minot State’s football program has faced throughout the first four weeks of the 2021 fall season on the heels of the team’s 68-10 defeat at the hands of the No. 20 Minnesota State University, Mankato Mavericks Saturday night at Herb Parker Stadium.

The loss marked the fourth consecutive game during which the Beavers had allowed at least 48 points to begin the season, and after the loss of starting quarterback Ben Bolinske to a broken collarbone in Minot State’s 48-0 Week 3 defeat to Wayne State College, redshirt freshman Dawson Macleary was unable to help the offensive unit find its rhythm until the fourth quarter.

“Mankato’s a very good football team. They’re not going to feel sorry for us,” Aldrich said. “I think that we did a great job coming out after halftime fighting, and we did some really good things, but early in the game I think we battled with them and then they took advantage of some of our mistakes. A good football team is going to make you pay for it.”

Indeed, the Mavericks did the majority of their damage in the first 30 minutes of play. After the Beavers had earned a defensive stop to start the contest, Macleary’s first pass attempt of the game was picked off by Mavericks defensive back Ty’Shonan Brooks.

Minnesota State made the most of the early turnover, scoring the first of three touchdowns in the opening quarter on the ensuing drive that were answered only by a Dillon Fedor field goal for Minot State.

The Beavers were outscored 19-0 in the second quarter before returning to the locker room to regroup for the second half. As Aldrich implored his team between halves, Minot State continued to fight, allowing only seven more points in the third quarter before running back Ali Mohamed helped ignite his team’s offensive efforts.

Of the 179 total yards with which the Beavers finished, 134 came in the final 15 minutes. Mohamed was finally able to free himself a bit more often, earning a 22-yard scamper on the Beavers’ first drive of the quarter before breaking off a 69-yard touchdown rush on his team’s third drive.

The score marked Minot State’s second touchdown of the season, and first since Mohamed’s 69-yard reception on a screen pass in its Sept. 11 home-opener.

The contest was well out of reach by that point, though, and the Beavers were left searching for answers once more after another lopsided defeat.

“We continue to fight from what we ended with tonight, and then continue to build it forward,” Aldrich continued. “I think Bemidji is our team that we want to try to battle with and try to get to their level. The guys will be up, there’s no issue with that, and now it’s just a matter of can we stake another step forward.”

Minot State’s next contest is scheduled for Oct. 2 at 2 p.m. on the road against Bemidji State University.