The Mayville State University football team saved its best for last on Saturday afternoon, defeating Dakota State University 21-14 in the Comets' final home game of the season at Jerome Berg Field in Mayville, N.D.

In a game that featured big offensive plays, big defensive plays, and players stepping up to fill key roles because of injury, the Comets' last stand on their home football field proved to be their best of the season.

There was Mitch Ford, normally a full-time running back, who went over to the defensive side of the ball in the second half to help in the defensive back field. On more than one occassion Ford broke up a critical pass play or made a crucial tackle. Tony Evenstad, who had caught a touchdown pass as a wide receiver with 3:41 left to go in the second quarter to put the Comets ahead 14-7, soon after found himself having to step into the quarterback position when starter Tanner Carpenter went down with injury. Evenstad did a fine job stepping up during his first live action at the quarterback position this season. And there was Dominique Bradley, a standout defensive back who had began getting minutes as a running back last weekend. Against Dakota State, Bradley turned in one of the best perofrmances by a running back in recent history, rushing for 181 yards and two touchdowns.

All those pieces came together on Saturday as the Comets picked up a big conference win heading into the Dacotah Bank DAC Bowl next Sunday in Fargo, N.D. MSU finished the game with 210 rushing yards and 202 passing yards for their best offensive effort of the season. The Comets' 412 yards of total offense was better than Dakota State's 284 yards of total offense. Up front the Comets dominated the ball, holding the Trojans to just 27 rushing yards in the game. Senior lineman Billy Drake saved one of his best performances of the year for Senior Day, making nine tackles in the game. He made three tackles for a loss, two of them sacks of DSU quarterback Paul Bagala.

The Comets never trailed on Saturday, jumping out to a 7-0 lead in the first quarter when Bradley sprung loose for a beautiful 45-yard touchdown to open up the scoring. Dakota State answered back in the second quarter when running back MikeTrimble ran one in from four yards away to cap off an 80-yard DSU drive and tie the game at 7-7.

MSU quickly answered that score on the ensuing possession with a four-play, 56-yard scoring drive that ended with Tanner Carpenter finding Tony Evenstad in the endzone for an 11-yard touchdown strike. The Comets went into the halftime break with a 14-7 lead.

The Trojans struck first in the second half, scoring at the end of the third quarter to tie the game up at 14-14. And just as they had in the first half, the Comets answered with another score minutes later in the fourth quarter. MSU found the endzone at the 12:09 mark of the fourth after a six-play, 63-yard drive. Bradley punched one in from nine yards away to put the Comets up once and for all.

Dakota State would threaten to score, but each time the Comets' defense came up with big plays and big stops. Josh Jeffries stepped in front of a Bagala pass in the fourth and picked it off for a huge interception late in the game to put a stop to a big DSU drive. And the Comets would come up with stops while running the clock down on offense with a successful rushing attack.

MSU now has a 2-7 overall record and a 1-6 record in Dakota Athletic Conference play. They will take on Jamestown College in the final game of the season on Sunday, October 7th at the Dacotah Bank DAC Bowl in Fargo, N.D. Game time is set for 12:30 p.m.