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Delta State

December 18, 2010 by · Comments Off on Delta State 

Delta State, (AP) – David Nadeau shyly admitted that this was not the most beautiful goal in the field he has ever launched. The ball had a little play in it, a little swing in the air.

He was pleased to give Minnesota-Duluth’s second national championship.

Kick 32 yards Nadeau as time expired Saturday gave the Bulldogs a 20-17 victory over Delta State in the game of Division II national title, wrapping up the second perfect season school over the last three years with another trophy on one afternoon in December.

“When it came to my foot I knew it would be tight,” said Nadeau. “It was not the best move I’ve ever touched my life in every way. I saw him ride and I knew it was going in. When I saw him in the air, I went back and ran. ”

Cody Eich return the interception 20 yards gave the Bulldogs (15-0) the ball at midfield with 52 seconds left in the game, and 25-yard pass to Brian Chase Vogler Hanson Minnesota-Duluth scope for the second field goal of winning the championship history.

Ted Clem’s goal from 50 yards gave Troy State 18-17 victory over North Dakota State in 1984.

“What a great game,” Minnesota-Duluth coach Bob Nielson said. “It was one of those games where both teams certainly had a chance to win. He could have anyway, and it is a credit of (Delta State) and their performance. ”

Delta State (11-4) tied the game on goal by Matt Snyder on the ground from 22 yards with 2:22 left, but four turnovers and wasted opportunities in the red zone proved costly.

This is the second national title in school history of Minnesota-Duluth, who also went 15-0 in winning the 2008 championship. Grand Valley State (2006) and Northwest Missouri State (1998) also posted 15-0 record en route to the national title.

Vogler has represented 201 total yards of attack for the Bulldogs. He completed 11 of 19 passes for 118 yards and a touchdown, while running a game-high 21 times for 83 yards.

Hanson ran 16 times for 98 yards and caught three passes for 54 yards.

“I just watched the way the game went and what I can tell you that I’m really proud of this group of guys,” said Nielson. “Not much went our way in this game and we continued to play. We continued to play and believe in some way and when you do that, good things. ”

Delta State (11-4) lost three fumbles and threw an interception that set up the winning score. The Statesman has only scored 10 points on five trips inside the Bulldogs 20.

Meanwhile, Minnesota-Duluth after he returned and scored 20 points on four red zone trips.

“I’m real proud of our guys and I thought they played very hard,” Delta State said coach Ron Roberts. “We had some opportunities to win the game, but I’m real proud of the way our guys played up to the wire.”

After Snyder Field goal from 22 yards tied the game, Delta State got the ball with just over a minute. Micah Davis threw an interception at Minnesota-Duluth 30, the introduction of the fifth and last change leader in the 10th straight title game decided by seven points or less.

Davis finished 24 of 35 for 240 yards and two touchdowns for the Statesmen.

Minnesota-Duluth has taken early in the first quarter on the goal of Snyder on the field 32 yards, and Delta State answered when Davis fired a strike to hit 8-yard Maurice Moore. But the Bulldogs regained the lead late in the quarter in which Vogler struck 14-yard Ben Helmer.

From 28 yards to LJ Castile Davis gave the Statesmen a 14-10 lead by halftime. Castile caught seven passes for 80 yards and finished with four touchdowns in four playoff games.

Race 12 yards with Brad Foss 8:20 left in the game gave Minnesota-Duluth a lead of 17-14, helping to prepare the ground for a dramatic final few minutes.

Copyright © 2010 the Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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