By Kristin Farris
BSU Assistant Director of Athletic Media Relations

BEMIDJI, Minn. — Bemidji State University (4-7) secured a 34-21 victory over the
University of Mary (4-7) at Chet Anderson Stadium. The home team capitalized on
three rushing touchdowns in the red zone to solidify the win and close the season on
a high note.

The first quarter opened with Bemidji State establishing a strong offensive drive,
spearheaded by Isaiah Tisdale, who consistently advanced the ball on the ground.
Tisdale’s efforts culminated in a 2-yard touchdown run at 8:20, following a
strategic no-huddle approach and aided by penalties against UMary. Bart McAninch
contributed with a key 26-yard completion to Drayton Lehman, moving Bemidji State
deep into scoring territory. The extra point by Connor Mantelli was successful,
giving Bemidji State a 7-0 lead by the end of the quarter.

In the second quarter, Bemidji State capitalized on a crucial turnover, with Gabe
Ward forcing a fumble that Tyler Cruchet recovered at the Marauders’ 19-yard line.
This turnover set up a scoring opportunity that Tisdle seized with a 13-yard
touchdown run, extending the lead to 14-0. Later, McAninch connected with Elliott
Lowney for a 31-yard touchdown pass, further solidifying their advantage. Bemidji
State ended the quarter with a commanding 21-0 lead over UMary.

Bemidji State maintained control early in the third quarter despite a touchdown by
the Marauders narrowing the gap. Mitch Olson’s 1-yard touchdown run at 8:13 extended
Bemidji State’s lead to 28-7. Later, UMary’s Jordan Polo Solomon connected with
Ethan Heinrich for a 28-yard touchdown, bringing the score to 28-14. Bemidji State’s
defense held firm, concluding the quarter with a 28-14 lead.

Bemidji State’s fourth quarter began with a missed 32-yard field goal attempt by
Mantelli. Despite this setback, they maintained their lead as UMary scored a
touchdown to narrow the gap to 28-21 with 11:32 remaining. Bemidji State responded
with a crucial drive, highlighted by a 37-yard touchdown pass from McAninch to
Lehman, extending their lead to 34-21.

Defensively, Bemidji State held strong, with Tyler Sapit and Tavon Rice combining
for a critical sack that pushed the Marauders back. Bemidji State regained
possession with just over a minute left, and McAninch led the Beavers into victory
formation with 35 seconds left. The final score was 34-21 in favor of Bemidji State.

Lehman recorded 111 receiving yards on six catches and added a touchdown. Olson
tallied 69 rushing yards on 11 carries and found the end zone once. McAninch
completed 10 of 15 passes for 162 yards and threw two touchdown passes. On defense,
Sapit contributed 1.5 sacks to the team’s effort, while Koehler Kilty led the team
in total tackles at seven. Connor Mantelli went a perfect four-for-four on PAT
kicks.

Bemidji State stands at 4-7 overall and 4-6 in conference play following their win.
UMary holds a record of 4-7 overall and 3-7 in the conference.