Busy weekend for Northern State teams: Football season finale is Saturday vs. Duluth

Scott Waltman, Aberdeen News
·7 min read

While there will be no playoffs and no division title for the Northern State University football team, the Wolves do have one more game.

They face the University of Minnesota-Duluth at 1 p.m. Saturday at Dacotah Bank Stadium to wrap up the season.

The game is a chance for Northern to finish the season on a high note against one of the best teams in the Northern Sun Intercollege Conference. The Bulldogs are 7-3 and coming off of a victory against Augustana last weekend in Sioux Falls. At 4-1 in the NSIC North Division, they still have a chance at a share of the division title, though Bemidji State (8-1 overall) would have to lose on the road at the University of Mary.

Three Bulldog quarterbacks have attempted between 71 and 78 passes on the season, but last weekend it was Kyle Walljasper who led Duluth with 207 passing yards and 81 rushing yards. Walljasper is the second-leading rusher on the team with 716 yards. Running back Wade Sullivan leads the way with 734 yards. The Bulldogs have 2,251 net rushing yards on the season.

Northern's defense has generally been a strength this season, but Duluth's has been dominant. It has held opponents to an average of 19.9 points per game and has allowed just 717 net rushing yards this season with opposing ball carriers averaging a paltry 2.6 yards per carry. The Bulldogs have 38 sacks resulting in 277 yards los.

A win for the Wolves would mean a 7-4 record on the season, momentum heading into the offseason and sending a group of seniors out with a victory. And it would be another step in coach Mike Schmidt's work to make Northern a perennial contender in the NSIC.

Brent Aldridge now winningest volleyball in NSU program history

Bent Aldridge became the winningest volleyball coach in Northern State University history when the Wolves beat Bemidji State University in four sets Sunday. It was his 224th victory at Northern.

The Wolves are 18-10 on the season and 13-7 in the NSIC. They play Concordia-St. Paul at noon today in the opening round of the NSIC tournament. The match is in St. Paul, Minn.

Northern State basketball teams open season Friday

The Northern State men's team opens the season with a pair of game this weekend. The Wolves play the No. 1 team in NCAA Division II, Southwest Missouri State, at 5:30 p.m. Friday in St. Joseph, Mo. Saturday, they take on Western Missouri State at 7 p.m., also in St. Joseph.

The women also have games Friday and Saturday in Moorhead, Minn. The Wolves play Central Missouri at 8 p.m. Friday and Rogers State at 5 p.m. Saturday. Northern beat Division I North Dakota 81-75 in an exhibition game on Nov. 2.

Wrestling Wolves head to Mitchell for Dakota Wesleyan Open

After opening the season with three duals, the Northern State wrestlers head to their first tournament of the year Saturday. They will travel to Mitchell for the Dakota Wesleyan Open.

The Wolves opened the season with a 47-3 victory over Carl Albert State College Friday in Midland, Okla. In their second match of the day, they fell to No. 4 Central Oklahoma, 30-3. Northern wrestled Concordia-Moorhead Thursday night in Minnesota.

NCAA cross-country regional in Nov. 19 in Missouri

The Northern State University cross-country teams will next compete in the regional meet Nov. 19 in Joplin, Mo. The NCAA II national meet is Dec. 3 in Seattle.

The men's team placed seventh of 14 teams at the NSIC meet Saturday at Wayne State College in Nebraska. Senior Jackson Harrison paced the Wolves, finishing seventh in 25:27.65. Freshman Josh Martin took ninth in 25:31.24.

Harrison
Harrison

On the women's side, the Wolves took eighth of 16 complete teams. Jennifer Clark was the top Northern finisher in 31st place with a time of 23:31.89.

Seven Roncalli football players earn All-Northeast Conference honors

Seven Aberdeen Roncalli football players were named to the All-Northeast Conference team.

They include quarterback/kicker/defensive back Jackson Isakson, running back/linebacker Maddox May, lineman Brendan Livermont, wide receiver/defensive back Phillip Zens, wide receiver/defensive back Andrew Brennan, defensive back/fullback Aiden Schaunaman and linebacker Zane Backous.

The Cavaliers finished the regular season 8-0 and won the Northeast Conference title. They finished the season 9-1 after falling to Hot Springs in the playoffs.

The complete all-conference team follows.

  • Aberdeen Roncalli: Jackson Isakson (Sr.), Maddox May (Sr.), Brendan Livermont (Sr.), Phillip Zens (Sr.) Andrew Brennan (Sr.), Josh Shaunaman (Jr.) Zane Backous (So.).

  • Britton-Hecla: BoDell Davidson (Sr.), Collin Beaner (Jr.).

  • ClarkWillow Lake: Trey Huber (Sr.), Mitchel Larson (Sr.), Cole Heiman (Sr.).

  • Deuel: Owen Quail (Sr.), Trey Maaland (Jr.), Ronnie Begalka (Sr.), Robbie Begalka (Jr.), Ty Lovre (Sr.), Dominic Constant (Sr.).

  • Groton Area: Colby Dunker (Jr.), Logan Ringgenberg (Jr.), Teylor Diegel (So.).

  • Hamlin: Luke Fraser(Jr.), Evan Stormo(So.), Simon Vander Vorst (Sr.).

  • Milbank: Aidan Foell (Sr.), Eli Johnson (Sr.), Jayden Johnson (Jr.).

  • Mobridge-Pollock: Aiden Schoenhard (Sr.), Kobe Johnson-Good Shield (Sr.), Jackson Eisemann (So.), Simon Fried (Jr.).

  • Redfield: Mason Whitley (Sr.), Grady Fey (Jr.), Elijah Morrissette (Jr.), Keaton Rohlfs (Sr.).

  • Sisseton: Jason Fisher (Jr.), Mason Shultz (So).

  • Webster Area: Brent Bearman (Jr.), Carson Mount (Jr.).

Honorable mention: Aberdeen Roncalli: Abe Kretchman (Sr.). Keegan Stewart (Jr.); Britton-Hecla: Elijah Jensen (Sr.), Gage Storley (Sr.); Clark-Willow Lake: Cole Brendan (Sr.), Turner Fjelland (Sr.); Deuel: Josh Mussi (Sr.) Kaden TeKrony (Jr.); Groton Area: Andrew Marzahn (Sr.), Lane Tietz (Jr.); Hamlin: Tyson Stevenson (Jr.), Kadyn Swenson (Sr.); Milbank: Garrett Mertens(Jr.), Jairek Frazee(Jr.); Mobridge-Pollock: Cole Wellner (Sr.), Holden Eisemann (Sr.); Redfield: Nolan Gall (Sr.); Justin Ratigan (Jr.); Sisseton: Dean Shultz (Sr.), Taylor Snaza (So.); Webster Area: Ethan Optiz (Sr.), Gavin Sannes (Sr.).

Aberdeen Wings return home for two games this weekend

In the North American Hockey League, Aberdeen hosts North Iowa in games at 7:15 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

The Wings are 8-7-1-2 on the season, good for fourth place in the Central Division. They could move up in the standings as the Bulls are just a point ahead of Aberdeen.

Forward Alexander Gullichsen leads the Wings with seven goals and eight assists through 18 games. Nikolai Tishkevich follows with eight goals and five assists.

Last weekend, Aberdeen split two games at Northern Iowa, winning 6-3 Saturday and losing 4-1 Friday.

Presentation College football team has chance to finish season with four wins

The Presentation College football team could finish the season with four victories if the Saints can win Saturday at Dickenson State University in North Dakota. But it won't be easy as the Blue Hawks, 7-2 and 5-0 in the North Star Athletic Association, are ranked 18th in the latest NAIA poll. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.

Earlier in the season, the Saints broke a 23-game losing streak. So this season has been a positive step no matter what happens during the weekend.

In their last home game on Oct. 29, the Saints beat Mayville State University 21-0. Quarterback Tim Evitt threw for two scores, and Billy Nelson opened the second half with an 85-yard kick return for Presentation, which scored all of its points in the third quarter.

Basketball seasons under way at Presentation

The basketball season is already under way for the men's and women's teams at Presentation.

The men were 1-3 heading into a Thursday night game against the University of Jamestown, ranked No. 9 in the nation in the early going. Next up is a game Friday against Oak Hills Christian College at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Strode Center on campus.

On the women's side, the Saints were 0-4 before a Thursday night game at Briar Cliff. Their next game is 2 p.m. Sunday at St. Cloud State in Minnesota.

North Star Athletic Association volleyball tournament is this weekend

Presentation College's volleyball team plays Dakota State at 10 this morning in the North Star Athletic Associations Super Six in Watertown. The Saints are 9-21 on the season with a 6-8 mark in conference play.

The Saints are the sixth seed and Dakota State is the No. 3 seed. The winner advances to the semifinals, which are also Friday. The championship match is set for 2 p.m. Saturday at the Watertown Civic Arena. A complete schedule follows.

Friday

Quarterfinals

Semifinals

Saturday

Championship

Semifinal winners at 2 p.m.

This article originally appeared on Aberdeen News: Northern state men's and women's basketball teams open season Friday