Box Score MORRIS, Minn. - After nearly a month of practices, the Minnesota Morris football team finally took the field against another opponent as Greenville College paid a visit to Big Cat Stadium Saturday afternoon for the Cougars season and home opener. The Cougars scored first and never trailed as they topped the Panthers 33-28.

After stopping Greenville on their opening possession, Minnesota Morris took their first possession and drove down the field in ten plays and 74 yards for their first touchdown of the season as Evan Guffey ran around the left end for a 1-yard score. The big play on the drive was a 39-yard pass from Donnie Mavencamp to Kyle Petermeier down to the Greenville 4 on a 4th-and-2.

Greenville tied the game at 7 early in the second quarter. The Cougars quickly retaliated to retake the lead. Mavencamp found J.C. Cummings out of the backfield down the middle of the field for a 21-yard strike to give UMM a 14-7 edge with 9:45 left in the half.

With 2:50 left in the half, Greenville would tie the score again courtesy of their defense. Colton Faure forced a Mavencamp fumble and the ball was picked up by Kasey Richardson for a 10-yard score.

The score remained tied at 14 midway through the third quarter. With Greenville punting from deep in their end, Joseph Loija broke through the line and blocked the punt. The ball went through the back of the end zone resulting in two points for the Cougars.

Two drives later, the Cougars would extend their edge thanks to great field position following a 22-yard Guffey punt return and subsequent personal foul on Greeville. All the Cougars needed was two plays to go 11 yards with a Mavencamp to Guffey 3-yard completion resulting in a score and a 23-14 advantage.

Colin Everson put the Big Cat crowd in a frenzy after he forced a Greenville fumble, recover it, and ramble 35 yards to give the Cougars a 30-14 lead 51 seconds into the final quarter.

The Panthers would not go away however and scored two quick touchdowns to pull within 2 with 12:15 remaining.

John Hoff connected on a 27-yard field goal to put UMM up 33-28 with 8:17 left. That left it up to the Cougars defense to secure a win. They held Greenville to a pair of 3-and-outs and then sacked Greenville's George Harris their final two offensive plays to lock up the 5-point win.

Mavencamp went 15-for-27 for 196 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 39 yards. Petermeier led the Cougars in receiving with six grabs for 90 yards and Santana Mejia led in rushing with 41 yards. Defensively, Clayton Douvier was all over the field making 18 tackles (3 for loss) and two sacks. Drew Shipley made 12 stops (5 for loss) and recorded 2.5 sacks.

Minnesota Morris (1-0, 1-0 in UMAC) plays next Saturday at Northwestern for a 7 p.m. conference contest.