Todd Vanderwerff

The SDSU football team suffered a crushing Hobo Day loss to the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux Saturday afternoon.

Losing 21-13, the Jacks found themselves with a defense that kept making big plays and setting up the offense for points, only to see the offense fail to score.

“We have got to be on edge and make the play all the time,” said John Stiegelmeier, head coach.

However, the defense was unable to stop UND running back Riza Mahmoud, who rushed for 137 yards, and quarterback Kelby Klosterman, who rushed for 124 yards and passed for 138.

“I didn’t think they’d be able to run the ball for that many yards against us,” said Stiegelmeier.

The Jacks found their running game shut down initially and headed to the air, picking up yards on short passes.

The Jackrabbits got off to a good start. On only their second possession, the Jacks drove 83 yards from the SDSU 17-yard line for a touchdown.

SDSU runningback Scott Nedved took control on this drive, taking a short pass 36 yards and running from the UND 23-yard line into the end zone.

“We did get off to a good start,” said quarterback Dan Fjeldheim.

Kicker Keith Witt missed the extra point, but the Jacks were up 6-0.

After that, UND set to work.

Starting in the second quarter, Klosterman and Mahmoud began to connect, with Mahmoud taking a short pass from the UND 24-yard line to the SDSU 55.

UND kept its drive alive when Klosterman connected with Caleb Johnson for an 11-yard drive on third and three on the SDSU 17-yard line.

From there, UND sealed the deal, with Klosterman hitting David Wisthoff for a six-yard touchdown reception.

The extra point good, UND went up 7-6 and never looked back.

“As the game progressed, we just got more confident,” said Dale Lennon, UND head coach.

SDSU failed to capitalize on an interception by Kevin Brown at the UND 41 late in the first half and the score remained 7-6 as the game finished out the second quarter.

Nedved suffered a thigh bruise in the first half and was unable to be effective in the second half. Stiegelmeier believed he would return to the team soon.

At the top of the second half, Klosterman and Mahmoud took control of the ball and marched 75 yards to the end zone.

Mahmoud first took a Klosterman pass 17 yards to the SDSU 41. One play later, Mahmoud took a hand-off 26 yards from the SDSU 34, making it first-and-goal from the SDSU eight.

Aaron Schwenzfeier took the ball in for UND from the SDSU four yard line and the score was 14-6.

Early in the fourth quarter, Phil Oksness recovered a UND fumble at the UND 29 to give the Jacks their best opportunity to score yet.

However, the Jacks squandered that opportunity when the UND defense swatted down Fjeldheim’s fourth-and-inches pass to recover the ball.

“We just weren’t able to get (that defender) blocked,” Fjeldheim said.

UND put the Jacks away for good with one final touchdown in the waning minutes of the game.

After a long drive, Mahmoud took the ball from the SDSU four yard line into the end zone for UND’s final score, putting the Sioux up 21-6.

Klosterman had left the game with a separated shoulder only seconds earlier.

The Jacks made a quick drive down the middle of the field to score on a nine yard reception by Josh Davis, to make the score 21-13.

The Jacks tried to onside kick and used all but one of their timeouts trying to force UND to punt, but were unable to accomplish either, ending the game down by eight.

SDSU nose tackle Josh Stephan and right tackle Ben Fast suffered knee injuries.

While the game was played on a muddy field, neither Fjeldheim or Mahmoud thought the conditions made a difference.

“You did have to be pretty light on your feet,” said Mahmoud.

Fjeldheim held no blame for the wet field in the Jacks’ loss.

“I don’t think the field had anything to do with it. … I think they made some good adjustments after our touchdown,” said Fjeldheim.

Fjeldheim believed that the Sioux’s defense ultimately shut down the Jacks.

“Out front they do a lot of stuff with stunting and twisting and blitzing guys,” said Fjeldheim.

Stiegelmeier felt the disappointment all of his players felt.

“I’m unbelievably disappointed … We believed that we would win that football game, but we didn’t play well enough to do it,” said Stiegelmeier.

However, Stiegelmeier wanted to make sure his players believed in themselves.

“I got the feeling just now that our fans think its fine to simply play the University of North Dakota close and I want to make sure I don’t have players with that sort of attitude,” said Stiegelmeier.

#1.887924:2301884965.jpg:hobodayfb.jpg:Senior linebacker Jeff Schultz and junior cornerback Kevin Brown take down a member of the University of North Dakota offense. The Jackrabbit football team was unable to overcome the UND offense enough for a Hobo Days victory. The Fighting Sioux won the game 21-13.: