BEMIDJI, Minn. (Chet Anderson Stadium) - On an afternoon that Bemidji State University honored its most recent Athletic Hall of Fame class and legendary coach Chet Anderson, the Beavers put on a show for the Green and White faithful.

Led by sophomore quarterback Derek Edholm (Anoka, Minn.) BSU scored a season-high 41 points to end a two-game losing skid and hold on to the coveted Hubcap traveling trophy for the sixth consecutive season in a 41-27 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference victory Saturday and Chet Anderson Field.

Edholm had the best showing of his young career accounting for four of the Beavers' six touchdowns. He went 12-of-20 for 153 yards and a career-high three touchdowns through the air, while adding 43 yards on nine rushing attempts, including a three-yard touchdown plunge.

The Golden Eagles got on the board first, putting BSU in a 7-0 hole with 5:48 to go in the first quarter. UMC forced BSU into a three-and-out on its first possession of the game and marched the ball 70 yards on 11 plays and capped the drive with a one-yard quarterback-keeper to take the early lead.

Edholm and the Beavers would respond with a quick strike to knot the score at 7-7 heading into the second stanza. Brandon Miles (So., RB, Kenai, Alaska) had three rushing attempts for eight yards to put the Beavers deep in the UMC redzone and Edholm would find the sophomore out the backfield for a six-yard touchdown pass to light the BSU side of the scoreboard.

BSU would score again with 2:28 remaining in the first half, using an Aaron Roland (So., DB, Wahpeton, N.D.) blocked punt to situate itself on the Golden Eagles' 15 yard line. It would take BSU just two plays before Edholm connected with Adam Berg (So., WR, Cambridge, Minn.) for his first touchdown reception of 2008.

The final 2:23 first half as was action packed as the Beavers have seen this season.

Minnesota, Crookston evened the score on a 30-yard pass from Tim Ennis to Aaron Wall, but left 25 seconds on the lock for a determined BSU squad with a pocket full of timeouts.

After an incomplete pass, Edholm scrambled to buy some time and found Miles out of the backfield for 28 yards to get the Beavers to the UMC 25 yard line. BSU would call a time out to stop the clock and draw up a play with 12 seconds to go. The first pass attempted would fall incomplete, but the second try would result in seven points for the Beavers. Edholm rolled out to his right and put the ball up for grabs in the back corner of the end zone. George Kadlec (Sr., WR, Chicago, Ill.) would come down with the pass for his team-leading eighth touchdown of the season as time expired giving BSU a 21-14 boost into the break.

The Beavers were in line to receive the opening kick of the second half and used just 2:18 before finding the end zone. Miles scampered into the end zone for the second time of the afternoon when he found a seam and broke a 42-yard run, giving the Beavers a 14-point cushion, 28-14.

Gary Miller (Jr., LB, Ukiah, Calif.) picked off his first pass of the season in the final seconds of the third quarter setting up an Erick Newman (Sr., RB, Naperville, Ill.) touchdown run from four yards out as BSU built a 34-14 lead with 13:48 to play.

On the first play of the ensuing UMC drive, Terrell Phelps (Sr., CB, Lincolnton, N.C.) stepped in front of his second pass of the afternoon giving the Beavers the ball on the Golden Eagles' 44 yard line after a three-yard return. Six plays and a seven-yard touchdown run by Edholm later, the Beavers would be up 41-14.

Minnesota, Crookston added a pair of long touchdown passes late in the game, but it was too little, too late as the Beavers came away with the victory.

In addition to Edholm's offensive stats, Miles piled up a season-high 93 yards on 10 attempts with a touchdown. Newman added 66 yards and a touchdown in relief.

Edholm used four different receivers finding Berg a team-high five times for an afternoon-best 54 yards and a score.

UMC accumulated 488 yards of total offense with the BSU defense allowing a season-high 325 passing yards. Ennis connected with Cornelius King nine times for 163 yards and two touchdowns--all opponent highs for the season. Kalil Field-Maxwell paced the Golden Eagles on the ground with 78 yards on 16 carries.

On the defensive side of the ball, Luke Knutson (Fr., LB, Bagley, Minn.) led the Beavers in tackles for the second consecutive week. The reigning Beaver Pride Athlete of the Week posted a career-high 12 tackles (three solo) while recording a tackle for loss and helping on a quarterback sack. Rob Wills (So., DE, Roseville, Minn.) got to the quarterback two times and posted a total of eight tackles on the day (two solo). In addition to his two interceptions, Phelps added three stops.

The win gives the Beavers their 10 straight victory over the Golden Eagles, extending a streak started Nov. 6, 1999, while improving its all-time record versus UMC to 14-1.

Bemidji State (3-5; 2-5 NSIC) continues NSIC North play next week when it travels to Duluth, Minn. to battle nationally-ranked University of Minnesota, Duluth. The Bulldogs enter the game toting a nine-game wining streak and a perfect 8-0 record in 2008. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Griggs Field at Malosky Stadium, in Duluth, Minn.

--bsu--