College Football: Raiders rally but fall short in state semifinals

WAHPETON, N.D. - Jake Faber and Kieran Johnson have had an incredible season for Central Lakes College and Saturday they teamed up for three scoring plays and the Raiders put up 35 points against the North Dakota State College of Science.

Unfortunately the Raiders, seeded No. 2 in the Eastern Division, spotted the Western Division's top-seeded Wildcats 33 points and a furious comeback attack fell short in a 39-35 loss.

The Raiders' dynamic offense was up against a formidable NDSCS defense and a great kicking game. However, Wildcats' quarterback Dallas Cook took over early as he threw a 9-yard strike to Mitchell Sanders and connected with Tyler French to give the Wildcats a 13-0 lead at the end of one quarter.

The second quarter was more of the same as Cook ran for a 67-yard score. NDSCS tacked on two more scores to take a 33-0 lead late in the second quarter. Cook ended the day going 11-for-21 for 152 yards and three touchdown passes.

CLC closed out the first half with two scores as Faber connected with Johnson on passes of 15- and 7 yards to trail 33-14 at the half.

In the third quarter, CLC had a number of chances to tighten the margin but could only get one score on a 1-yard run from Faber and the Raiders trailed 33-20 going into the fourth quarter.

Another Faber to Johnson pass, this one from 14 yards, made the score 33-27. However, Cook and the Wildcats regained the momentum with a 23-yard TD pass to make the score 39-27. On the try for the extra point, CLC's Sean Walker broke through to block the kick and ran it back for a safety, whittling the deficit to 39-27.

Faber responded with a 1-yard touchdown run for the final score 39-35. CLC was unable to push across another score and the Wildcats ran out the clock to get the win.

Faber finished 24-for-41 for 303 yards and three touchdowns with all of his TD passes going to Johnson, who accumulated 10 catches and 160 yards.

The Raiders outgained the Wildcats 429-291 in total yards in only their second loss in 10 games.

In Saturday's other state semifinal, Rochester trampled Dakota College 55-0. The Yellowjackets will play NDSCS for the state championship next Sunday at St. Cloud State.

Central Lakes 0 14 6 15 - 35

NDSCS 13 20 0 6 - 39

First quarter

NDSCS: Mitchell Sanders 9 pass from Dallas Cook (Jacob Racimo kick)

NDSCS: Tyler French 16 pass from Cook (kick failed)

Second quarter

NDSCS: Cook 67 run (Racimo kick)

NDSCS: Keyon Thomas 18 run (Racimo kick)

NDSCS: Touchdown (kick failed)

CLC: Kieran Johnson 15 pass from Jake Faber (Seth Zins kick)

CLC: Johnson 7 pass from Faber (Zins kick)

Third quarter

CLC: Faber 1 run (kick failed)

Fourth quarter

CLC: Johnson 14 pass from Faber (Zins kick)

NDSCS: Sanders 23 pass from Cook (CLC's Sean Walker blocks extra-point kick, returns it for safety)

CLC: Faber 1 run (kick failed)

Team statistics

Rushes-yards: CLC 50-126, NDSCS 32-139

Pass comp-att-int-yds: CLC 24-41-3-303, NDSCS 11-21-1-152

Total offense: CLC 429, NDSCS 291

Individual leaders

Rushing: CLC-Carlton Djam 26-47, Trey Blanchard 14-33; NDSCS-Dallas Cook 10-91, Revontae Robinson 13-53

Passing: CLC-Jake Faber 24-41-3-303 , NDSCS-Dallas Cook 11-21-1-152

Receiving: CLC-Kieran Johnson 10-160 , Beau Wilhelm 3-38, Djam 1-1, Blake Gerads 2-17, Cody Rau 3-30, Matt Soldner , Jaelyn Price 2-28, Isaac Dennis , Elias Arlington 3-29; NDSCS-Mitchell Sanders 3-84

Overall: CLC 8-2. Next: NDSCS vs. Rochester at Husky Stadium, St. Cloud State University, 1 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8.