BEMIDJI, Minn. — Bemidji State University (4-7) secured a 34-21 victory over the University of Mary (4-7) at Chet Anderson Stadium. The home team capitalized on three rushing touchdowns in the red zone to solidify the win and close the season on a high note.
The first quarter opened with Bemidji State establishing a strong offensive drive, spearheaded by Isaiah Tisdale, who consistently advanced the ball on the ground. Tisdale's efforts culminated in a 2-yard touchdown run at 8:20, following a strategic no-huddle approach and aided by penalties against UMary.
Bart McAninch contributed with a key 26-yard completion to
Drayton Lehman, moving Bemidji State deep into scoring territory. The extra point by
Connor Mantelli was successful, giving Bemidji State a 7-0 lead by the end of the quarter.
In the second quarter, Bemidji State capitalized on a crucial turnover, with
Gabe Ward forcing a fumble that
Tyler Cruchet recovered at the Marauders' 19-yard line. This turnover set up a scoring opportunity that Tisdle seized with a 13-yard touchdown run, extending the lead to 14-0. Later, McAninch connected with
Elliott Lowney for a 31-yard touchdown pass, further solidifying their advantage. Bemidji State ended the quarter with a commanding 21-0 lead over UMary.
Bemidji State maintained control early in the third quarter despite a touchdown by the Marauders narrowing the gap.
Mitch Olson's 1-yard touchdown run at 8:13 extended Bemidji State's lead to 28-7. Later, UMary's Jordan Polo Solomon connected with Ethan Heinrich for a 28-yard touchdown, bringing the score to 28-14. Bemidji State's defense held firm, concluding the quarter with a 28-14 lead.
Bemidji State's fourth quarter began with a missed 32-yard field goal attempt by Mantelli. Despite this setback, they maintained their lead as UMary scored a touchdown to narrow the gap to 28-21 with 11:32 remaining. Bemidji State responded with a crucial drive, highlighted by a 37-yard touchdown pass from McAninch to Lehman, extending their lead to 34-21.
Defensively, Bemidji State held strong, with
Tyler Sapit and
Tavon Rice combining for a critical sack that pushed the Marauders back. Bemidji State regained possession with just over a minute left, and McAninch led the Beavers into victory formation with 35 seconds left. The final score was 34-21 in favor of Bemidji State.
Lehman recorded 111 receiving yards on six catches and added a touchdown. Olson tallied 69 rushing yards on 11 carries and found the end zone once. McAninch completed 10 of 15 passes for 162 yards and threw two touchdown passes. On defense, Sapit contributed 1.5 sacks to the team's effort, while
Koehler Kilty led the team in total tackles at seven.
Connor Mantelli went a perfect four-for-four on PAT kicks.
Bemidji State stands at 4-7 overall and 4-6 in conference play following their win. UMary holds a record of 4-7 overall and 3-7 in the conference.
For more information on the Bemidji State Football program, tickets or schedules, visit BSUBeavers.com, follow the Beavers on X (@BSUBeaversFB), like them on Facebook (facebook.com/BSUBeavers) and like them on Instagram (@BSUBeaversFB).
Located on the shore of Lake Bemidji, Bemidji State University sponsors 15 varsity athletic programs with NCAA Division I men's and women's hockey membership in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and Western Collegiate Hockey Association, while its 13 NCAA Division II programs hold membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).
