The Bemidji State University football team totaled 497 yards of offense in a 35-25 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference victory against visiting Minnesota State University Moorhead Saturday. The win not only improves BSU to 6-4 overall and 5-1 in the NSIC North, but keeps the traveling trophy between the teams, the Battle Axe, in Bemidji for the fourth straight season.

The 5-1 record in NSIC North play remains tied for first and a win Nov. 10 at home against Minot State University in the season finale would secure a share of the 2012 North Division title.

Bemidji State and MSU Moorhead have been playing for the Battle Axe since 1948, a traveling trophy tradition that ranks as the second longest tradition in NCAA Division II. BSU has won the last four and 12 of the last 13, but trail in the all-time series 28-34-3.

Senior quarterback Lance Rongstad (Eleva, Wis.) continues to play at a high level and matched his performance from last week at St. Cloud State University where he totaled 341 yards and 115 on the ground with a total of 329 total yards in Saturday’s game. He posted a season-high 127 yards on the ground for his second consecutive and fifth-career 100-yard rushing performance. He added 202 yards and touchdown through the air, as he went 11-for-19.

Rongstad gained most of his rushing yards on a 78-yard touchdown run that set the BSU record for longest run by a quarterback. After dropping back, Rongstad saw and hole and took off down field, about 15 yards later he had MSUM safety Shea DeJong coming at him head-on, but the senior signal caller leaped and cleared the ducking head of the 5-8 freshman and went the rest of the way to the end zone. The run breaks his own record he set at University of Minnesota, Crookston last season – a 71-yard rushing touchdown.

The Beaver defense was guided by senior linebacker Cory Crosby (Cold Spring, Minn.). The team’s leader tackler entering the contest, Crosby totaled a career-high 17 tackles (four solo), establishing a career-high for tackles for loss with 4.5 (-23 yards) and matching a career-best 2.5 sacks (-16 yards). His 13 assisted takedowns also set a high-water mark for the senior.

Crosby moved up the charts in the BSU record book with his performance and now has 318 career tackles to jump two spots into 5th all-time at Bemidji State. He also moved into fifth on the assisted tackles list with 190.

The two teams traded scores in the first half, as the Dragons marched 71 yards to the end zone on their first possession, but the Beavers struck right back and capped a seven-play, 63-yard touchdown drive with a Rongstad 14-yard toss to senior tight end Brian Leonhardt (Blaine, Minn.).

Second quarter 37- and 24-yard field goals, respectfully, from Dragon kicker Wes Kramer sandwiched the Rongstad 78-yard run to the end zone and the Beavers held a slim 14-13 advantage heading into halftime.

Bemidji State got the only score of the third quarter, finding the end zone to complete a six-play, 88-yard drive that saw four consecutive plays of 14 yards or more. Facing third and eight, Rongstad aired one out to senior wide receiver Christian Metz (Cambridge, Minn.) for a 37-yard connection. On the next play, Rongstad rushed for nine yards, then flipped the football to senior Justin Lee (WR, Elgin, Il.) and he added eight yards to the 17-yard gain. Rongstad then went 18 more yards on the ground before handing it off to junior Avery Walker (RB, Milwaukee, Wis.), who took it 14 yards and crossed the goal line for his first touchdown in the green and white. The 88-yard drive marked the longest by BSU this season.

MSU Moorhead scored a touchdown early in the fourth quarter, but a failed two-point conversion led to the Beavers leading 21-19. The Beavers then stretched the lead to a two possession game on a 10-yard option rush by Lee to the end zone for a 28-19 lead.

Walker added a late touchdown run of three yards and the home team took a 35-19 lead before the Dragons scored as time expired.

Walker finished with 55 yards, as the Beavers totaled 295 yards on the ground. Metz brought in a career-high 77 receiving yards.

Freshman Connor Quinn (LB, Geneva, Ill.) also went for double-digits in tackles with 12 (four solo) and added 3.0 tackles for loss, including a sack.

Bemidji State welcomes its fellow Beavers in Minot State Nov. 10 at 1 p.m. at Chet Anderson Stadium.