MAYVILLE, N.D. — The Mayville State Comets defended their home turf in dramatic fashion on Saturday, holding off Montana State University–Northern for a 21–17 win at Jerome Berg Field. The victory pushes the Comets to 5–3 overall and 2–1 in conference play, marking another gritty performance in front of their home crowd.

The game was defined by the Comet defense, which delivered several game-changing moments to keep the Lights at bay. Freshman linebacker DeAnthony Thompson turned in a standout performance, intercepting three passes — including a 75-yard pick-six in the second quarter that proved to be the turning point.

After a back-and-forth first quarter that ended 7–7, Mayville's defense and run game took over. Running backs Landon Olson and Moses Nuahpa provided the offensive spark, combining for 123 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Olson broke through for a 27-yard score, while Nuahpa powered into the end zone from short distance to extend the lead to 21–7 at halftime.

Montana State–Northern tried to rally in the second half behind quarterback Kendall O'Neill, who threw for 282 yards, and receiver Devin Shelton, who caught nine passes for 197 yards. But turnovers proved costly for the Lights, as the Comet defense forced three interceptions and a fumble to preserve the lead.

While Mayville's passing attack was limited — just one completion for 14 yards — the Comets made the most of their opportunities. Their physical rushing attack and opportunistic defense helped control the pace, and key stops in the fourth quarter sealed the victory.

The Comets will hit the road this Saturday, heading to Butte, Montana to take on the undefeated, No. 4 Montana Tech Orediggers. For full schedule details visit: https://msucomets.com/sports/football/schedule