Field Goal Lifts Itasca Over M State
The M State football team lost a heartbreaker on Saturday as Itasca kicker Marko Skarica booted a 30 yard field goal as time ran out to lift the Vikings to a 43-40 win over the Spartans in Fergus Falls. The loss moves the Spartans to 3-2 overall this season.
Itasca jumped out to a 6-0 lead, scoring on the first possession of the game. The 8-play, 57-yard drive was capped by a 35 yard scoring toss from Carson Harris to Antwan Downs. M State responded with the first of two 3-yard TD runs by quarterback Brad Young. Carsen McKnight made it a 7-6 game with his extra-point kick. Logan Burress recovered an Itasca fumble at the Spartan 41 and following a 51 yard run by Rondarius Gregory, Young scored his second TD of the quarter. McKnight's PAT kick gave M State a 14-6 lead after one quarter of play.
After a punt put the Spartans back against their end zone on the one yard line, they started the second quarter with a 99-yard TD pass from Young to Jonathan Griffin. A McKnight kick increased the lead to 21-6 for the home team just 13 seconds into the quarter. Itasca went on a 75-yard scoring drive, getting the ball in the end zone on the ninth play when Harris connected with Downs from 14 yards out. Skarica added the extra point kick, cutting the Spartans lead to 21-13. The Vikings then blocked a Spartan punt and recorded a safety to pull within six points at 21-15. The Vikings took a 22-21 lead on a five yard run by Harris and another Skarica kick. Following a Fergus Falls punt, Itasca went on a 10-play, 60-yard scoring drive that ended when Kevin Sawyer carried the ball into the end zone from two yards out. Skaric made it 29-21 with the PAT kick. With Young out of the game due to a knee injury, third string QB Kelo Logova hooked up on a 60-yard scoring pass with Jallah Zeze to get within two points at 29-27. The two point conversion try failed. Skarica connected on a 30 yard field goal at the end of the half and Itasca had a 32-27 halftime advantage.
The two teams played a scoreless third quarter and after a William Black interception the Spartans regained the lead on a two yard run by Gregory, going ahead 33-32. An AJ Conteh pick led to a 14 yard TD run by Gregory and an extra point kick by McKnight gave M State a 40-32 lead with 5:26 left in the game. After DeShawn Carter picked off an Itasca pass, the Spartans fumbled the football, giving Itasca another chance. The Vikings took advantage of the opportunity going 74 yards in fifteen plays, including a key fourth-and-ten conversion to keep the drive alive, and scored on a 5 yard pass to William Carswell from Kyree Fox. Fox and Downs then hooked up on the two-point conversion pass to tie the game with just 37 seconds remaining. The Spartans then suffered just their second turnover of the game when Logova's pass bounced off a helmet and into the waiting arms of linebacker Greg Washington who returned the ball to the M State sixteen yard line. After a run by Sawyer took the ball to the ten yard line Skarica banged home the game winning 30 yard field goal.
Itasca had 484 yards of offense with 373 coming via the pass. Carson Harris completed 19-of-24 passes for 233 yards and a pair of TD's, while Kyree Fox went 10-for-28 for 140 yards and a touchdown. Harris was the leading rusher with 62 yards on 11 attempts and the leading receiver was Antwan Downs with 8 receptions for 146 yards.
M State had 244 passing yards and 163 yards rushing for a total of 407 yards. Rondarius Gregory ran for 139 yards on 18 carries and caught six passes for 56 yards. Jonathan Griffin had 120 receiving yards on 2 receptions. Kelo Logova was 9-for-16 throwing the football for 144 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
The Spartans will hit the road to take on Rochester Saturday, October 2nd. Kick off is scheduled for 7:00 PM.