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North Dakota Sports

FARGO — After getting a taste of college football by playing in four games last season, Saybein Clark was expected to see more of the field next fall for North Dakota State. Now he may see it a lot. Bison head coach Matt Entz confirmed Wednesday, April 10, that running back Seth Wilson tore the ACL in his knee last Friday in practice and is expected to miss next season. He had surgery this week. That immediately bumped Clark up another spot in the Bison running back line. He got more than enough work during Wednesday morning’s practice. Clark looked gassed after finishing the two hours of drills and plays. “I knew I was going to be put in the rotation a lot more than I was last year,” Clark said. “But with the injury to Seth Wilson, I’m in there more than I ever thought I would.” NDSU was so deep in the backfield last year that Clark, a highly touted recruit out of Sioux City, Iowa, was afforded the ultimate learning season. He got enough work in practice to play in four games, the maximum allowable under a new NCAA rule that preserved his year of eligibility. There will most likely be no more waiting in the wings. Wilson’s departure leaves the Bison with seniors Ty Brooks and Dimitri Williams and junior Adam Cofield in the backfield. The Bison also signed incoming freshmen Jalen Bussey from Tampa, Fla., and Kobe Johnson from Lawrenceville, Ga. Clark ran for over 4,100 yards in his high school career at Bishop Heelan Catholic High School. His signing with NDSU created some buzz after he picked the Bison, despite holding a scholarship offer from the University of Iowa. He averaged 6.5 yards per carry last fall for the Bison on his 14 attempts. There also wasn’t room for many carries with senior running backs Bruce Anderson and Lance Dunn. “Lance and Bruce were big role models for me,” Clark said. “Coming in, I played a lot different than they expected. I bring some different things to the table but they taught me in general things that they do to be better at college football.” Admittedly, college football was a big change last fall for Clark and he said it hit him fast. “The welcome-to-college-football moments happened all the time in fall camp,” he said. “You just get used to the grind and get used to practicing as a Division I football player. You know what you need to bring to the table every day and how hard you have to work to be good.” Wilson’s injury was of the noncontact variety. The knee appeared to give out after he planted to make a cut. “I never thought that would happen but injuries happen when you least expect them,” Clark said. “Then you have to step up, learn the book, eliminate mental errors, go out there and do what you can.” At 6-foot-1 and 206 pounds, Clark is the biggest Bison back, although Williams and Cofield are 202 and 204 pounds respectively. The 5-9, 182-pound Brooks is the big-play threat — he averaged 7.1 yards per carry last season. NDSU reached the halfway point of spring football practice on Wednesday and it’s clear Clark will be a bigger part of the running back mix than he was a week ago.

FARGO — After getting a taste of college football by playing in four games last season, Saybein Clark was expected to see more of the field next fall for North Dakota State. Now he may see it a lot. Bison head coach Matt Entz confirmed Wednesday, April 10, that running back Seth Wilson tore ...

At 6-foot-6, freshman Mathis next candidate for big Bison receiver

By Jeff Kolpack Forum News Service FARGO — Maybe the North Dakota State football fascination with a big wide receiver began with Mike Dragosavich in 2003. The 6-foot-5 recruit made some head turns in spring ball of 2004 with some big plays catching the ball. Problem was head coach Craig ...

Bison concerned knee injury to running back Wilson could be serious

By Jeff Kolpack Forum News Service FARGO — North Dakota State’s hope of getting through spring football without a major injury may be over. Running back Seth Wilson, in line to be a featured player next fall, is sidelined with what is believed to be a serious knee injury. Bison head ...

OUTDOORS CALENDAR

Saturday – Spring Turkey opener. Saturday – Maple Sugaring Day, Ft. Stevenson State Park, 9 a.m.-3p.m., 337-5576. April 19 – Full moon, 6:13 a.m. April 27 – ND Sport Fishing Congress Annual Banquet. Bismarck AMVETS, 223-3093. April 27 – Badlands Bass Bandits Tourney, Lake Tschida, ...

Hunting guide and outfitter test set

The next guide and outfitter written examination is May 18 at 1 p.m. at the North Dakota Game and Fish Department office in Bismarck. The test is given periodically to anyone interested in becoming a hunting guide or outfitter in the state. Interested individuals are required to preregister by ...

Report bald eagle nest sightings

The state Game and Fish Department is asking for help in locating active bald eagle nests in North Dakota. Game and Fish conservation biologist Sandra Johnson said the department is looking for locations of nests with eagles present, not individual eagle sightings. Eagles lay eggs in ...

Whopper Club

Here is the North Dakota Game and Fish Department Whopper Club entries, date & weight for March: Lake Audubon smallmouth bass: Arnold Langehaug, Glenburn, March 23, 4 lbs., 0 oz. Missouri River rainbow trout: Mike Boyd, Bismarck, March 16, 6 lbs., 6 oz. Lake Sakakawea northern ...

Deer gratis applications online

Landowners applying for a 2019 deer gratis license can fill out their application online by visiting the state Game and Fish Department website, gf.nd.gov. The general deer lottery and muzzleloader applications will be available online in early May. The deadline for applying is June 5. Chief ...

Pronghorn hunting season statistics

Hunter success during last fall’s pronghorn hunting season was 81 percent, according to statistics provided by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department. Game and Fish issued 1,081 licenses (701 lottery and 380 gratis), and 976 hunters took 792 pronghorn, consisting of 761 bucks, 28 does and ...

Whooping crane migration

Whooping cranes are in the midst of their spring migration and sightings will increase as they make their way into and through North Dakota over the next several weeks. Anyone seeing these endangered birds as they move through the state is asked to report sightings so the birds can be ...

Game and Fish volunteers recognized

Volunteer instructors for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department were recently honored at the annual recognition event in Bismarck. Shannon Johnson, Fargo, was recognized as hunter education instructor of the year and Steve Goroski, Bismarck, was named archery education instructor of the ...

Advisory board meetings set

Outdoor enthusiasts are invited to attend a North Dakota Game and Fish Department spring advisory board meeting in their area. These public meetings, held each spring and fall, provide residents with an opportunity to discuss fish and wildlife issues and ask questions of their district ...

Kolpack: Bison will have to guard against deer-in-the-headlights syndrome

By Jeff Kolpack jkolpack@forumcomm.com COLUMBIA, S.C. — The basketball facility that is home to the University of South Carolina has size to it. The capacity is 18,000, but it feels bigger. Still, North Dakota State on Thursday afternoon didn’t walk into Colonial Life Arena like the ...

Samuelson evolves into a lead role for NDSU’s basketball team

DAYTON, Ohio — Three years ago as an incoming freshman for North Dakota State’s men’s basketball team, Tyson Ward was curious about his soon-to-be roommate. So he did a search on Jared Samuelson. “Who is this kid? Huh?” Ward recalls thinking when he saw pictures of Samuelson. “He ...

Bison basketball kept the belief despite rough start to season

FARGO — It was early December and the North Dakota State men’s basketball team left Ames, Iowa, after an 81-59 beating at Iowa State. At that point, the Bison had a 2-7 record. They were nine tough games. Eight were on the road; one was an overtime loss and another was at No. 1-ranked ...

Kindred freshman headlines ND Class B girls all-state team

FARGO — The North Dakota Class B girls basketball all-state first team is loaded with youth, featuring Kindred Vikings freshman Abby Duchscherer. Duchscherer is the lone unanimous selection on a first team that has no seniors. Kidder County sophomore Madelyn Schmidt, Hettinger-Scranton ...

Bison will play NC Central in ‘First Four’ NCAA tournament game

By Jeff Kolpack Forum News Service FARGO — On St. Patrick's Day, the men's basketball team with green as one of its school colors learned it will play sooner than most of the rest of the NCAA Tournament field. North Dakota State was tabbed as one of the "First Four" into the tournament ...

Game and Fish seeks habitat contractors

Contractors who are able to perform habitat work on Private Land Open To Sportsmen program lands across the state are invited to add their businesses to a database that the North Dakota Game and Fish Department will maintain on its website to help landowners who are looking to develop wildlife ...

National campaign for boat safety

A national safe boating campaign kicking off March 17-23 encourages boat operators to take a certified boat safety course. Spring Aboard – Take a Boating Education Course wants boaters to get educated prior to the start of the boating season. State Game and Fish Department education ...