BISMARCK, N.D.—For the second straight week, the University of Jamestown football team cut a fourth-quarter deficit to one score, but the University of Mary Marauders held off a Jimmie rally, winning 21-13 Saturday afternoon at MDU Resources Community Bowl.
UMary (3-3 overall, 2-3 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference) controlled the ball for most of the first quarter, driving from its 25 to the UJ 14 before
Evan Smith dropped Xavier Brackenridge for a 3-yard loss and
Xander Jarosh stopped Desmond Duffy for no gain on fourth down with 6:22 left in the period. After a Jimmie punt, put the Marauders back to its 27, UMary crossed midfield again and reached the UJ 19 after Ryan Blair's 26-yard completion to Karsyn Jablonski, but
Zach Mueller sacked Blair for a 16-yard loss on fourth down.
Jamestown (0-6, 0-5 NSIC) maintained possession into the second quarter, converting three first downs behind
Jacob Mattick and
Matt McBride runs, and a Mattick completion to
Ethan Hoffman before Bonilla scored on a three-yard run.
Ethan Lieb added the extra point and the Jimmies led 7-0 with 10:02 remaining in the half.
After
Ethan Gall's sack helped the Jimmies force a Mary punt, Bonilla broke a 58-yard run to the Mary 12 on the next series, but Justus Breston intercepted Mattick at the goal line for a touchback. Mary answered on the ensuing drive, with Blair hitting Karsyn Jablonski for a 71-yard touchdown on third-and-1. John Girard's extra point tied the score at 7-7 with 5:00 to play before halftime. Jamestown punted on its next two possessions, while
Malachi Werremeyer and Smith recorded sacks on Mary's final two drives as the second quarter ended 7-7.
The Jimmies' first series of the third quarter was extended by a UMary roughing the kicker penalty, and Mattick's 11-yard completion to
Josh Byrne helped move the ball across midfield, but UJ had to punt.
Gus Werremeyer gave UJ a short-field chance at the 10:39 mark, sacking Blair for a 10-yard loss and recovering the fumble at the UMary 10. Rushes by
Emilio Matias and Bonilla moved Jamestown down to the 1-yard line, but the Marauder defense stopped Bonilla on fourth-and-1 for a turnover on downs. Mary followed with a 14-play, 99-yard scoring drive, converting three third downs along the way and finishing with Blair's 33-yard touchdown pass to Jablonski with 35 seconds in the third. Girard's extra point made the score 14-7 entering the fourth quarter.
Kobe Irmen flipped the field with a 67-yard punt to the Marauders' five-yard line early in the fourth quarter, and UJ later got the ball back at its own 47 after forcing a punt. Jamestown's following drive reached the Mary 25 behind a 10-yard
Jeric Schloegl run and Mattick's eight-yard third-down keeper, but the Marauders stopped UJ's progress after George Vegas sacked Mattick on fourth down, and Sean Cotten recovered the fumble at the Mary 35. UMary converted the turnover into points with a 65-yard drive, capped by Xavier Brackenridge's 46-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-1. Girard's extra point gave the home team a 21-7 lead with 4:33 left.
The Jimmies responded with a 60-yard drive, keyed by Mattick's 23-yard pass to
Nate Burke and a 30-yarder to
Gavin Olson. Mattick ran in from five yards out to make it 21-13 at the 2:11 mark. Zachary Johnson's onside kick was recovered by
Cole Sjogren after a Mary muff, but Jamestown turned it over on downs at 1:19 and Mary kneeled out a 21-13 final.
UJ finished with 158 rushing yards and 92 passing yards, converted 3 of 12 third downs, and scored on 2 of 4 red-zone trips. UMary finished with 280 passing yards, ran 68 offensive plays and held the ball for 34:17. The Marauders went 8-for-16 on third down, but came up empty on both of their red zone possessions.
Bonilla led the Jimmies on the ground with 65 yards and a touchdown on seven carries. Mattick completed 8 of 16 passes for 92 yards and added 24 rushing yards and a touchdown on nine carries. Jarosh recorded a team-high nine tackles.
Gus Werremeyer posted three tackles, one sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
For the Marauders, Jablonski caught 11 passes for 206 yards and two touchdowns. Blair completed 25 of 31 passes for 280 yards with two touchdowns. Brackenridge rushed 18 times for 91 yards and a touchdown. Christopher Federico finished with nine tackles and one sack.
UJ hosts Minot State University at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10.
