University of Minnesota Morris Athletics

MORRIS, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Morris football team defeated Buena Vista University 30-28 after blocking a field goal in the final seconds Saturday afternoon in Morris, Minn.
 
The game saw the first five drives result in points. The Cougars started the game with the ball. Bryson Drake completed passes to Sean-Keley Chinanga, Dylan Shafer, and Manny Guy to start the drive. Chinanga had a nine-yard rush to move the sticks. Drake connected with Guy on a 12-yard pass to get inside the red zone. Logan Ahlers sent the ball through the uprights for the opening score.
 
On the Beavers' first drive, they went 64 yards to find the end zone and take the lead. Drake continued to connect on passes early in the drive to march the Cougars down the field. Chinanga and Tyler Monson complemented the passing offense with a successful ground game. On the one-yard line, Monson found the end zone, putting UMN Morris back on top, and a successful PAT by Rylan Greene made the score 10-7 early in the second quarter.
 
The Cougars tried to catch the Beavers off guard with an onside kick, but the ball did not travel 10 yards, setting BVU up at the Morris 40. It took only two plays for Buena Vista to retake the lead after a 30-yard touchdown pass.
 
Minnesota Morris faced a third-and-10 deep in its own territory. Drake found Trent Roden for 11 yards to move the sticks. A reception from Andrew Holm and a rush from Chinanga got the Cougars to midfield. After five straight rushing plays, UMM was right outside the red zone at the 21-yard line. Monson rushed for nine yards, and an 11-yard catch from Holm had the Cougars knocking at the goal line at the one. Drake found Guy in the end zone for the touchdown.
 
The Beavers started to move down the field, but the Cougars' defense stopped them on fourth down. On the field goal attempt, Damaris Fields got to the ball, blocked the kick, and recovered it. A facemask penalty was called, so the Cougars started at the 50-yard line. Minnesota Morris was unable to put points on the board. On the final drive of the half, UMM forced a three-and-out, with Derrick Dohmen and Fields making tackles to stall the run. The Cougars took a 17-14 lead into halftime.
 
Coming out of the half, the Beavers needed only one play to find the end zone and retake the lead. The Cougars were facing second-and-22 after their first play of the second half. Chinanga then rushed for 16 yards, and Drake followed with a five-yard rush to keep the drive alive. Drake connected with Jacob Wilmes for an 18-yard pickup, taking the Cougars to the two-yard line. Chinanga punched it in, swinging the lead back to Minnesota Morris.
 
The next two drives ended with turnovers on downs. Late in the third quarter, the Beavers found the end zone for the fourth time and created the seventh lead change of the game.
 
Early in the fourth quarter, Jackson Viemeister picked off a pass and returned it 26 yards to set up the offense at the BVU 12-yard line. The Cougars were unable to get on the board, with the field goal attempt being blocked.
 
The Beavers took over at their own seven-yard line. The UMM defense forced a three-and-out, with tackles coming from Arian Saenz, Jesse Davies Jr., and Dylan Young. The Cougars took over at the UMM 31 with just over eight minutes left. The rushing game was working, moving the ball and milking the clock with runs from Monson, Drake, and Chinanga. A touchdown pass from Drake to Chinanga in the final two minutes put the Cougars back on top.
 
The Beavers started the drive at their 40-yard line with 1:08 left on the clock. They moved down the field until they reached the UMM 33. After three plays failed to move the ball, Buena Vista lined up for a field goal. Just like the first field goal attempt, Fields got to the kick and blocked it. Mogie Walkingstick recovered the ball and returned it 47 yards, capping off the 30-28 Cougar victory.
 
Drake totaled 193 passing yards on 22 completions. He had two touchdown passes. On the ground, Monson rushed for 93 yards, while Chinanga totaled 92 yards; both recorded a rushing touchdown. Six Cougars caught at least one pass, with Holm leading the team with 64 receiving yards. Guy and Chinanga each caught a touchdown pass.
 
Defensively, Walkingstick, Dohmen, and Saenz led the team with seven tackles. The Cougars had three tackles for loss. Viemeister had the only takeaway of the game with an interception. Fields, Dohmen, and Viemeister all broke up a pass.
 
On special teams, Fields blocked two field goal attempts. Juan "JT" Garza had three returns for 92 yards, with a long of 44 yards. Ahlers went 1-for-2 on field goals, and Greene was 3-for-4 on extra points.
 
The Cougars have their bye week next but return to action on Oct. 3 as they host Crown College for Homecoming.