The #12 Pioneers never trailed in a 23-17 victory over #20 Benedictine on Saturday. It is the 5th straight win for MNU and it keeps them in the drivers seat in the HAAC. With one game remaining, MNU is tied with Missouri Valley at 7-1 and holds the tie-breaker over the Vikings.
MNU started the scoring with a 41-yard Cristian Casillas field goal, and Benedictine responded with a 25-yarder to end the first quarter tied at 3. Casillas nailed another field goal early in the second quarter, and the teams traded punts for the next 4 drives. MNU found the end zone after a 7-play 80-yard drive, highlighted by a
Trent Hedlund to
Bo Miller 31-yard pass play to set up
Javon Taylor's 5-yard score. Benedictine answered with a 5-play 70-yard touchdown drive to close the gap, and MNU went into halftime with a 13-10 lead.
MNU started the 3rd quarter with a 3-and-out, but
Jarad Bader forced a fumble on the Ravens' first play to give the ball back to the offense. The Pioneers went 35 yards in 8 plays for a Hedlund to
Zach Brandsted 3-yard touchdown, and MNU led 20-10.
Kameron King picked off a Raven pass late in the 3rd quarter, and Casillas turned the turnover into 3 more points with a 23-yard field goal. Benedictine scored a touchdown with 7 minutes left to get within 6, but Bader forced another fumble after a sack with
Matt Rashad to seal the victory with 2 minutes left, and MNU was able to run out the clock.
"Our team has done a good job of staying on course and not allowing the emotions of the game to alter our focus," said head coach
Brian Willmer. "The turnover margin was the key as we kept the ball while forcing three, and of course
Cristian Casillas' three field goals were huge."
Javon Taylor ran 30 times for 144 yards and a touchdown.
Trent Hedlund was 16-32 for 180 yards and a touchdown.
Wesley Foryoh caught 6 passes for 82 yards. And
Cristian Casillas hit field goals from 41, 25, and 23 yards.
James Guerrero had 8 tackles and a fumble recovery.
Kameron King recorded 4 tackles and an interception. And
Jarad Bader had 1.5 sacks and 2 forced fumbles.
MNU is 8-1 (7-1 HAAC). The next game is Senior Day at home vs. Avila (3-7, 1-7) on Saturday at 1:00. A victory would clich a HAAC title and an automatic berth to the NAIA playoffs.
