by Scott DCamp

Sports Editor

(Photos by Matthew Semisch, Sports editor of the Bottineau Courant, Bottineau, N.D.)

 

Northland Community & Technical College avenged one of its regular season losses from 2017 Saturday with a 38-33 win at Dakota College at Bottineau. Northland put together a trio of fi

rst half scoring drives and led 20-0 after 30 minutes were in the books Saturday and hung on for a 38-33 win after the Lumberjacks nearly completed the improbable comeback. Northland used three first half scoring drive to build its 20-0. The Pioneers opened the scoring in the first quarter with a 16-yard Craig Wells to Devonaire Clarington touchdown pass. It was one of five times the two would connect on the day for 158 yards. The Pioneers’ PAT attempt was no good and Northland’s lead stood at 6-0 after one quarter was in the books. Wells called his own number on a seven-yard

touchdown run that put the Pioneers up 12-0. Dwayne Taylor hauled in the two-point con

version pass to put the Pioneers in front 14-0. Wells added a receiving touchdown to his passing and rushing scores as the Pionee

rs got creative on a four-yard pass from wide receiver Nick Russie. Dakota College got on the board early in the third quarter on a 10-yard run by Thornton Cain. Th

e successfully PAT by Alex Knoebel made it 20-7 in favor of the Pioneers. Northland answered with a 10-yard toss from Wells to Dwayne Taylor to make it 26-7. DCB’s Leviticus Fielder returned the ensuing kickoff 69 yards for a touchdown to make it 26-13, and

it followed the special teams score with a defensive score as Joshua Rickerson scooped up a Northland fumble and returned it 10-yards for a touchdown that made it 26-19. The teams traded scores down the stretch, with Northland making it a two-score game on a 41-yard pass from Wells Collin St. Julian. DCB answered with a 20-yard touchdown pass from Jackson Argoe to JaQuon Long. Northland pushed the lead back to two scores at 38-26 on an 80-yard Wells to Clarington. On the day, Wells completed passes to eight different receivers as he tallied a 22-for-34 afternoon for 396 yards and six total touchdowns. He was close to a seventh, with an 80-yard touchdown run that was nullified by a penalty. With time running out, the Lumberjacks got on the board again on a pass from Argoe to Abdul Bangura from 31 yards out to make it 38-33. “Dakota College Bottineau was a big, physical football team,” said Northland Head Coach Jim Cox. “Our kids were great off the field. At every place we stop, people are so impressed with how our young men act.”

Scoring…………………1  2  3  4  –  T

Northland………….6 14 12 6  –  38

DCB…………………… 0 0 19 14 -33

NCTC – Devonaire Clarington 16-yard pass from Craig Wells, kick blocked.

NCTC – Wells 7-yard run, Dwayne Taylor pass from Wells. Northland – Wells 4-yard pass from Nick Russie, kick failed.

DCB – Thornton Cain 10-yard run, Alex Knoebel kick.

NCTC – Taylor 10-yard pass from Wells, run failed.

DCB – Leviticus Fielder 69-yard kickoff return, run failed.

DCB – Joshua Rickerson 10-yard fumble return, kick failed.

NCTC – Collin St. Julian 41-yard pass from Wells, run failed.

DCB – Jaquon Long 20-yard pass from Jackson Argoe, Alex Knoebel kick.

NCTC – Clarington 80-yard pass from Wells, pass failed.

DCB – Abdul Bangura 31-yard pass from Jackson Argoe.

Team Statistics

Penalties (number-yards) – NCTC 14-110; DCB 10-55.

Punts (number-average) – NCTC 5-22.8; DCB 3-28.0.

Rushing (attempts-yards) – NCTC 32-77; DCB 36-151.

Passing – NCTC 23-for-35, 401 yards; DCB 12-25, 184 yards, 2 interceptions.

Total yards – NCTC 478; DCB 335.

Individuals

Rushing – (NCTC) Craig Wells 19-57, touchdown; Collin St. Julien 3-14; (DCB) Jaylen Wilson 14-111; Thornton Cain 8-24, touchdown.

Passing – (NCTC) Craig Wells 22-for-34, 396 yards, 4 touchdowns; (DCB) Jackson Argoe 12-for-25, 184 yards, 2 touchdowns, 2 interceptions.

Receiving – (NCTC) Devonaire Clarington 5-158, 2 touchdowns; Nick Russie 2-76; Dy’laan Lee 4-67; (DCB) Jalin Tobert 3-64; Dre’Mond Griffin 1-30, touchdown.

Defense – (NCTC) Tristan Murrin 15 tackles, sack, fumble recovery; Jonas Dorvil 15 tackles; Jonathan Pickett 7 tackles, 2 sacks; Quantae Person 7 tackles, sack; Hunter Roller 2 tackles, sack; Justin Murray 2 interceptions; Marquail Alexander interception.

MCAC Football

Western Division – div. all pts North Dakota SCS 1-0 3-0 4 Minnesota West 1-0 2-1 3 Northland 1-0 2-1 3 Dakota College 0-1 1-2 1 M-State 0-1 1-2 1 Ridgewater 0-1 0-3 0

Eastern Division – div. all pts Mesabi Range 1-0 3-0 4 Central Lakes 1-0 1-2 2 Fond du Lac Tribal 0-0 2-0 2 Rochester 0-0 0-2 0 Itasca 0-1 2-0 2 Vermilion 0-1 0-2 0

Results Saturday, Sept. 15 – Mesabi Range 29, Itasca 28; Rochester CTC at Fond du Lac; NDSCS at Ridgewater; Northland 38, Dakota College 33; Central Lakes 48, Vermilion 21; Minnesota West 58, M State-Fergus Falls 38.

Schedule Saturday, Sept. 22 – Ridgewater at Dakota College; Rochester at Central Lakes; Minnesota West at NDSCS; Itasca at Vermilion; Northland at M State-Fergus Falls; Mesabi Range at Fond du Lac.