FARGO, N.D.--Ryan Smith returned a kickoff 95 yards for a TD and Brendin Pierre returned a blocked punt for another score as the Green defeated the Gold 24-17 before a North Dakota State spring football game record crowd of 3,051 in the Fargodome on Saturday, April 30.
The teams were divided equally, and played two regulation 15-minute quarters and running time over the third and fourth quarters. The 2010 NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision quarterfinalists were recognized prior to the opening kickoff.
The Green took an early 3-0 lead with 3:39 left in the first quarter on Adam Keller's 32 yard field goal. It capped a 10-play, 62-yard drive highlighted by Esley Thorton's 33-yard pass to Cooper Wahlo.
The Gold scored twice in the second quarter. The first touchdown, a 1-yard run by quarterback Jose Mohler with 12:37 left, was set up by a 27-yard interception return by cornerback Aireal Boyd.
Boyd, who finished with
seven tackles including a forced fumble recovered by linebacker Tyler Gefroh that set up the second Gold TD with 2:19 remaining in the second quarter. Sam Ojuri scored from two yards out to cap the short 7-play, 30-yard drive. Ojuri rushed 13 times
for 75 yards and one TD. He also caught four passes for 59 yards and a
pair of kickoffs for 36.
Smith electrified the crowd just 13-seconds later on his 95-yard burst down the left sideline to trim the deficit to 14-10 at halftime.
The Green scored a pair of third quarter touchdowns to jump out to a 24-14 lead. Taking advantage of the bullish efforts of running back Derrick Lang, the Green marched 64 yards on 13 plays. Lang ran the ball nine times for 31 yards including a one-yard TD run. He finished with game-high 80 yards on 21 carries.
The second Green touchdown came when redshirt freshman Christian Dudzik blocked a punt that was scooped up by Pierre, who darted three yards into the end zone. Linebacker Logan Hushka and Dudzik led the Green with nine tackles. Gefroh topped the Gold wit nine tackles.
The Gold cut the deficit to 24-17 with 9:30 left on Ryan Jastram's 23-yard field goal. Jastram was 1 for 3 in field goal attempts. Matt Voigtlander punted eight times for an average of 41.4 yards including one inside the 20 and a touchback.
The Gold droved the ball to the Green 35-yard line with a minute to go, but linebacker Grant Olson ended the threat with an interception in the end zone.
Brock Jensen completed 13 of 27 passes for 161 yards and one interception for the Gold. Mohler was 3 of 6 for 19 yards. Tight end Matt Veldman caught five passes for 68 yards to lead a group of eight different receivers with a reception.
Thorton completed 7 of 12 passes for 77 yards and one interception. Wahlo had four receptions for 51 yards. Dante Perez made three catches for 18 yards.
