MSU-N Game Day 9-21-2013

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Notebook: MSU-Northern and Dickinson State might not meet again for quite some time ■ From Page 11 shouldn’t bother the Lights any on Saturday. Northern saw EOU play four different QB’s in last Saturday’s win at Blue Pony Stadium. Combined, the Mounties’ four quarterbacks still didn’t put up 300 yards passing. Game of the Week Last Saturday, Carroll and Tech waged what was the Game of the Week in the NAIA. In Helena, in front of a new Nelson Stadium record crowd, the Saints got their revenge from last year’s loss at Tech with a 21-7 victory over the Orediggers. It was an old-school defensive struggle between the two bitter rivals, who now meet just once a year. But a big play helped decide the outcome as Jared Mayernik’s 90-yard first-quarter punt return for a touchdown gave Carroll the lead, and the start it needed. The Saints, who moved up to No. 4 in this

week’s NAIA Coaches Poll, also got a huge day from junior Dustin Rinker. Rinker carried the ball a whopping 37 times for 177 yards, while Carroll held Tech star Pat Hansen to just 58 yards on the ground. With a huge win in tow, Carroll will once again be involved in the biggest game in the Frontier as the Saints head to 19th-ranked Rocky Mountain College this Saturday in Billings. Both teams sit at 2-0 in league play, with RMC coming off a bye week. And Carroll will look to avoid losing in Billings for the second straight season. But whoever comes out on top this weekend in Billings will be in the early driver’s seat in the league standings. More Big Backs Huge rushing numbers got put up all over the Frontier last Saturday. In UM-Western’s clobbering of DSU, the

Bulldogs got to 2-0 on the season on the legs of freshman running back Sam Rutherford, who piled up 245 yards on 31 carries. Rutherford’s performance came on the heels of his 185-yard outburst in his first career game the week before against Southern Oregon. Not to be outdone, SOU’s Melvin Mason had a night he’ll never forget. Last Saturday, at Big Sky Conference stalwart Sacramento State, Mason carried the rock 20 times for 236 yards in the Raiders’ stunning near upset of the Hornets. Mason’s heroics, in spite of the Raiders’ 63-56 overtime loss, earned him NAIA Offensive Player of the Week, mainly because he did his damage against an NCAA FCS opponent, on the road. In a wild shootout, which was supposed to be an easy victory for the Hornets, SOU didn’t let it turn out that way. The Raiders held the lead with just under four minutes left in regulation, but the Hornets scored on a third-down

pass as time expired, then were able to score and keep the underdog Raiders out of the ednzone in overtime. Time running out When the Lights and Blue Hawks meet Saturday at Blue Pony Stadium, it could be the final time the two teams meet for a while. After delevloping a good non-conference rivalry when Northern first brought football back, then with DSU joining the Frontier, the two teams have seen plenty of each other over the last 14 years. However, the Blue Hawks are leaving the Frontier to join the North Star Athletic Conference in 2014, and unless the schools decide to renew their rivalry in a non-conference series, Saturday’s game will mark the last time Northern and Dickinson meet in who knows how long.

Havre Daily News/Daniel Horton Montana State University-Northern's Lavorick Williams tries to haul in a pass during last Saturday's Northern home-opener against Eastern Oregon. Williams and the MSU-N offense racked up over 600 yards of total offense against the Mounties in a 45-27 win.

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Varner lets his game do the talking Running backs put up big yards MSU-Northern senior Tanner Varner has quietly put together a brilliant career at cornerback George Ferguson Havre Daily News sports editor gferguson@havredailynews.com Cornerback is as flashy a position as there is in college football. And the job is quite simple. Cover speedy receivers trying to run by you, don’t let them get their hands on the ball, tackle any other ball carrier that comes your way. It’s a simple job in theory, but it’s considered one of the single most difficult positions to play. And that’s probably why star NFL corners get paid the really big bucks, and why those same stars are some of the flashiest, cockiest, and most noticed athletes on the field.

The Montana State University-Northern Lights have one of those rare athletes, a guy who can, and has played corner for a long time. But aside from his play, which has been exemplary the last four seasons, fans wouldn’t notice Tanner Varner on the field too often. That’s because Varner isn’t your typical modern day corner. He doesn’t do a lot of trash talking, woofing and chest-bumping on the football field. Instead, he takes a quiet, workmanlike approach to the position. Instead of being flashy, he goes out and does his job. Instead of needing to be noticed, he leads by example and he takes pride in the fact that he’s done his job, covering a bevy of great Frontier Conference receivers over the years, and in that he plays football the right way. “I’d say that’s about right,” said Varner when asked about his quiet demeanor on the gridiron. “I’ve never been a big talker out there. I like to just go out there and know that I’m doing my job, and helping my team win games. “That comes from playing for Don Schil-

George Ferguson Havre Daily News sports editor gferguson@havredailynews.com

linger in high school,” the former threetime Class B All-State product from Baker added. “He taught me to play with a full respect of the game and to be humble. That’s how I was coached and that’s the way I’ve always tried to approach it.” Varner’s ability to play corner the right way has been beneficial for the Lights ever since he stepped onto the field. Coming from a family of football players, and one of the most consistent high school programs in Montana in Baker, which produced Montana Grizzly great and current Atlanta Falcons safety Shan Schillinger, a lot was asked of the 5-10, 200-pound speedster very early in his career. He moved into the MSU-N starting lineup as a red-shirt freshman and has

The third week of the Frontier Conference football season sure looked like it was going to be a big one when the schedule came out. And all around the league, last Saturday lived up to the hype. Offense and big plays were the name of the game in the Frontier last Saturday, including in Havre where the MSU-Northern Lights broke loose for 600 yards and 45 points in a 45-27 win against Eastern Oregon. Northern’s numbers were staggering. Derek Lear had his first 300yard passing game of the season and the 13th of his illustrious career. Orin Johnson caught 11 passes and fell just shy of 200 yards receiving. And to add balance to the attack, red-shirt freshman Zach McKinley rushed for 202 yards and two scores. McKinley’s day included seven runs

■ See Varner Page 6 Havre Daily News/Daniel Horton Photo right: Montana State UniversityNorthern senior Tanner Varner has been one of the most reliable and effective cornerbacks in the Frontier Conference over the last four seasons.

MSU-Northern Lights vs Dickinson State Montana State University Northern

2012 record: 3-7 (3-7) Head coach: Mark Samson

Location: Havre, MT

Stadium: Blue Pony Stadium

Nickname: Lights

Streak: The Lights haven't lost to DSU in Blue Pony Stadium in their last seven meetings, including a 42-10 win last November.

Colors: Maroon and Yellow 2013 record: 2-1 (2-1)

Saturday, September 21, 2013 Blue Pony Stadium ~ 1 pm Dickinson State University Location: Dickinson, N.D. Nickname: Blue Hawks Colors: Blue and Grey 2013 record: 0-3 (0-3)

2012 record: 2-9 (1-9)

of 15 yards or longer, as well as three runs of 20 or more yards. The win set the Lights up with a 2-1 start to the season, and they’re in perfect position to really make a go at the Frontier title. Saturday, Northern will host winless Dickinson State on homecoming at Blue Pony Stadium, and that gives the Lights a golden opportunity to get to 3-1 with their next three games all coming on the road. Of course, Dickinson won’t be a pushover, and Hank Beisiot’s team will be hungry for a win. However, DSU is really struggling defensively, which is surprising given the talent the Hawks have up front. But last week, DSU gave up 55 points and over 500 yards of offense at home to

streaking UM-Western, and with the Northern offense appearing to hit its stride, it could be a long day for the DSU defense Saturday. However, the Blue Hawks, who have 24 players from Montana on the roster, did hold the Lights to 14 points in the season-opening game back on Aug. 29, a game Northern won 14-0. Of the 24 players born in the Big Sky state, several have seen Blue Pony Stadium before, as Miles City has played Havre High in Havre four times in the last six seasons. DSU has a host of former Miles City players on its roster including talented starting wide receiver J.T. Keith. Who’s the QB? Heading into Saturday’s rematch

Today in the Frontier Conference Dickinson State University Blue Hawks (0-3, 0-3)

At Montana StateUniversity Northern Lights (2-1, 2-1)

Head coach: Hank Biesiot Stadium: Henry Biesiot Activities Center Streak: The Blue Havks have lost 11 straight Frontier games dating back to a last September win over Northern.

No. ? Carroll College (3-0, 2-0) at No. ? Rocky Mountain (3-0, 2-0) In Billings UM-Western (2-0, 2-0) at No. ? Montana Tech (1-1, 1-1)

in Butte

Southern Oregon (0-2, 0-3) at Eastern Oregon (0-2, 0-3) in LaGrande, Ore.

2013 Frontier Conference Coaches Preseason Poll

1. Carroll College 1. Montana Tech 3. Southern Oregon 4. Rocky Mountain College 5. MSU-Northern 6. Eastern Oregon 7. UM-Western 8. Dickinson State with the Lights, the Blue Hawks are still platooning quarterbacks. Both Thad Lane (6-2) and Kaler Ray (6-5) have seen nearly equal playing time this season. Lane, who’s listed as the starter on the depth chart, averages 50 yards per game and has thrown just one touchdown in DSU’s three losses. Ray has thrown for 240 yards and three TD’s, but he’s also been

Havre Daily News Week Four Frontier Conference Power Rankings

1. Carroll College 2. Rocky Mountain College 3. MSU-Northern 4. Montana Tech 5. UM-Western 6. Southern Oregon 7. Eastern Oregon 8. Dickinson State picked off three times to just once for Lane. Early in fall camp, it was announced that DSU had as many as six quarterbacks competing for the starting job, and a third QB, 6-5 Brian Cronnelly did see some snaps in last week’s loss to UM-Western. Of course rotating quarterbacks

� See Notebook Page 12

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MSU-Northern Rewind

Shining Bright: Lights 45, Mounties 27 George Ferguson Havre Daily News sports editor gferguson@havredailynews.com Three seasons is a long time to go without a victory over a conference rival. Six games without one will make it seem even longer. But the long wait for a win over the Eastern Oregon Mountaineers turned out to be well worth it for the Montana State University-Northern Lights. Saturday afternoon, in their home opener at sunny Blue Pony Stadium, the Lights took out three years of frustration by throttling the Mounties 45-28 in a Frontier Conference clash. With the victory, Northern also improved to 2-1 in league play ahead of this Saturday’s Homecoming game against Dickinson State. And not only did the Lights break free of their long losing streak to the Mounties (0-2, 0-3), they also broke free of the offensive doldrums which had plagued them so far this season. MSU-N racked up an astounding 634 yards of offense, while running an ultra-fast 81 plays on offense. The Lights got a career day from freshman running back Zach McKinley, who piled up over 200 yards and two scores on the ground, while Derek Lear returned from a knee injury to throw for over 300 yards and two scores. “We executed better,” Lear said. “Our tempo has been good the last few weeks, but little key things have kept us out of the endzone. Today we started fast and finished fast. The big thing was our tempo. Once we got them (Mounties) on their heels, we knew we just had to keep going and going and we did that. So it felt really good for this offense to have the kind of game we knew we were capable of having. It took a couple of drives, but when the execution came, it came quickly for the Lights, who lost a heartbreaker to EOU, 17-14 last September in LaGrande, Ore. McKinley broke loose on a 39-yard scamper, and just two plays later, Lear found a streaking Orin Johnson over the middle, and he did the rest, breaking several EOU tackles on a 31-yard jaunt to the endzone. And that was just the start of a huge game for Johnson. With the Lights leading 21-7 late in the first half, and backed up on a third-and-15 play, Lear hit Johnson running up the right side, and he once again did the rest, racing 60 yards to the house to put the Lights ahead 28-7. Johnson, the senior and four-year starter from Cut Bank, who was already off to a great start this season, wound up catching 11 balls for a career-high 196 yards and two scores.

And his big plays kept the Mounties’ defense on their heels for much of the day. “It feels awesome,” Johnson said. “We knew we were a good offense from the get-go, we just needed to get rolling. Once we get rolling, you see what we can do.” Northern led 28-14 at halftime, thanks to Johnson, but also thanks to the hard running of McKinley, and the fact the Lights were also able to finish long drives — not to mention a stingy effort from the MSU-N defense. Leading 7-0 late in the first quarter, the Lights marched on a 14-play, 69-yard drive, mostly on the back of McKinley, and fittingly, he finished it off with a short TD plunge just minutes into the second stanza. EOU would answer with a 13-yard scramble and score from 6-6 quarterback Dominique Blackmon, but another monster drive by the Lights ensued. MSU-N started on its own 17yard-line, but huge runs by McKinley, and a devastatingly impressive debut by freshman Mario Gobbato helped the Lights drive into EOU territory. Big gains by Lavorick Williams and Johnson set the Lights up with a goalto-goal situation and Lear wound up hitting Brandt Montelius for a short scoring pass which put the Lights ahead 21-7. After Johnson’s long TD reception made it 28-7, the Mounties did put together a quick scoring drive to still make it a game at halftime as quarterback Zach Bartlow found Justin Hernandez from seven yards out to make the score 28-14 at the break. “We once again started off a little too slow,” Samson said. “But once we got that first score, I think they relaxed out there. It just felt like the pressure was off them a little bit, and for most of the game, the offense really controlled things and really clicked. It was nice to see us get into a groove and play the way we know we’re capable of playing. “And I thought, with the exception of that last drive in the first half, the defense continued to play well,” he added. “Our defense did a really good job of adjusting to what they were doing and flying around and making plays.” Though the game was still somewhat close at halftime, a dominant third-quarter performance on both sides of the ball by Northern put the Mounties away for good. Lear did throw his only INT on Northern’s initial drive of the second half, but MSU-N’s defense did an outstanding job of making sure EOU couldn’t capitalize. A fake punt call by Trevor Baum also got the MSU-N offense rolling again. Baum took the

fake and ran for a first down midway through the third quarter, and from there, the MSU-N offense took control. Lear hooked up with Dylan Woodhall on a big pass play and Gobbato gave the Lights a commanding 25-14 lead with his first career TD at the 8:17 mark. Northern added a Jordan Reuschoff field goal and led 38-14 with 15 minutes to play. EOU did put two scores on the board in the fourth, while the McKinley added one more TD, but the performance in the third quarter all but ended EOU’s chance at a comeback — and guaranteed the Lights would finally break the streak against their rivals from Oregon. And that meant a lot to Lear, who missed last week’s road game at Carroll with a sore knee. He threw for 313 yards on 19-of-27 passing to go along with three TD’s. He looked good on his knee, as well, as he rushed for 20 yards on 10 carries. “Eastern Oregon is a team we haven’t beaten before, in the time I’ve been here,” he said. “So this game was pretty personal to me. I kind of took that onto the field today. I think I wanted this game more than some of the other games in my career.” While Johnson was his favorite target on Saturday, Lear once again was able to spread the wealth. Montelius caught four passes for 44 yards and Woodhall hauled in two for 65 yards. Overall, Lear found seven different receivers on the day. And then there was MSU-N’s running game, which came into Saturday struggling, but left the field with a monster effort. McKinley racked up a staggering 202 yards on 28 carries, while Gobbato was equally impressive by filling in for the injured Jai Johnson with 47 yards on nine totes. Orin Johnson also ran 18 yards out of the “wildcat”. MSU-N’s defense was no less impressive. Trevor Baum had a teamhigh 10 tackles, while senior David Arteaga added eight stops and a sack. Josh Baum had five tackles and Kaimi Kanehailua registered a sack as well. “I felt like it was a pretty good allaround game for us,” Samson said. “I thought our effort was good. We did a really good job of finishing drives, which is something we really focused on this week. And I thought our defense was very solid for much of the game. “And it’s nice to see us come back and play this well after the trip to Carroll,” he continued. “I thought we were very focused today and we executed really well for the most part. We still have a ways to go. It’s still early, but I’m pleased with this one, and I’m proud of our guys for the way they played today.”

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Frontier Conference Standings Conf. WL Carroll College 2-0 Rocky Mountain 2-0 UM-Western 2-0 MSU-Northern 2-1 Montana Tech 1-1 Eastern Oregon 0-2 Southern Oregon 0-2 Dickinson State 0-3

Overall WL 3-0 3-0 2-0 2-1 1-1 0-3 0-3 0-3

Saturday, Sept. 14 MSU-Northern 45, Eastern Oregon 27 Carroll College 21, Montana Tech 7 UM-Western 55, Dickinson State 21 Sacramento St. 63, Southern Oregon 56 (OT) Saturday, Sept. 21 MSU-Northern vs Dickinson State Carroll College at Rocky Mountain Southern Oregon at Eastern Oregon UM-Western at Montana Tech

NAIA Top 25 Rec. Pts 1. Morningside (Iowa) 2. Saint Francis (Ind.) 3. Cumberlands (Ky.) 4. Carroll (Mont.) 5. Saint Xavier (Ill.) 6. Georgetown (Ky.) 7. St. Ambrose (Iowa) 8. Baker (Kan.) 9. Grand View (Iowa) 10. Tabor (Kan.) 11. Missouri Valley 12. Montana Tech

2-0 1-0 3-0 3-0 1-1 1-1 1-0 2-0 2-0 2-0 0-1 1-1

314 301 282 272 255 241 239 238 205 202 196 175

Rnk 1 5 8 12 4 6 11 15 19 17 t2 7

13. Ottawa (Kan.) 14. Benedictine (Kan.) 15. MidAmerica Naz. 16. Marian (Ind.) 17. St. Francis (Ill.) 18. Doane (Neb.) 19. Rocky Mountain 20. William Penn (Iowa) 21. Northwestern (Iowa) 22. Robert Morris (Ill.) 23. Faulkner (Ala.) 24. Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 25. Pikeville (Ky.)

1-1 2-0 0-1 1-2 2-0 1-1 3-0 1-1 1-1 3-0 3-0 3-0 3-0

168 141 124 120 113 100 92 86 73 72 47 34 25

18 24 10 t2 NR 20 NR 16 13 NR NR NR NR

Others receiving votes: : Valley City State (N.D.) 17; Montana Western 16; Bacone (Okla.) 13; Concordia (Neb.) 11; Peru State (Neb.) 9; Friends (Kan.) 8.

Frontier Conference Individual Leaders For 2013

Passing: Austin Dodge, SOU, 365 ypg Receiving: Dylan Young ,SOU, 130 ypg Receptions: Orin Johnson, MSU-N, 10 cpg Rushing: Sam Rutherford, UM-W, 206 ypg Tackles: Casey Grifftih, UM-W, 12 tpg Sacks: Phil Selin, UM-W, 4 sacks INT's: James Dowgin, CC, 3 INT's

Lights Coaching Staff

2013 Northern Football Staff Top row from left to right: Darold DeBolt, defensive line; Kennedy Anderson, linebackers; Jake Eldridge, defensive coordinator and strength and conditioning; Jorge Magana, student assistant and offensive line; Front row: Scott Leeds, wide receivers; Kyle Samson, offensive coordinator, QB's and recruiting; Mark Samson, head coach; Ron LaTray, defensive backs; Brandon O'Brien. Athletic Director: Christian Oberquell; Certified Athletic Trainer: Christian Oberquell; Assistant Athletic Trainer: Nichole Borst; Sports Information: Laramie Schwenke.

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MSU-Northern Offensive Starters

Dicksinson State Defensive Starters

MSU-N Offensive Numbers

DSU Defensive Numbers

Scoring: 20 ppg, 5th in Frontier. Total offense: 435 ypg, 5th in Frontier.

Orin Johnson #4, 6-0, 200 Receiver

Shawn Alder #22, 5-11, 185 Cornerback

Rushing: 197 ypg, 3rd in Frontier

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MSU-Northern Defensive Starters

Dickinson State Offensive Starters DSU Offensive Numbers

MSU-N Defensive Numbers

Scoring: 42 ppg, 7th in Frontier

Scoring: 19 ppg, 3rd in Frontier

Total defense: 505 ypg, 6th in Frontier

Total defense: 282 ypg, 2nd in Frontier.

Pass defense: 229 ypg, 4th in Frontier

Rushing: 101 ypg, 2nd in the Frontier

Scoring: 14.7 ppg, 7th in Frontier Tanner Varner #10, 5-11, 195 Cornerback

Wyatt Mirich

#82, 6-3, 205 Receiver

Total offense: 262 ypg, Last in Frontier Rushing: 127 ypg, Last in Frontier

Curran Irvine #77, 6-3, 330 Offensive line

Patrick Kiser #68, 6-3, 295 Left tackle Brandt Montelius #88, 6-1, 195 Reciever

Mark Samson MSU-N Head Coach Samson enters his 10th year at the helm of the Lights program. So far, he has complied a 49-50 record and led the Lights to five winning seasons and an NAIA playoff berth in 2006. Samson has also served as MSU-N's athletic director. As a head coach at Helena Capitol, he won several Class AA state titles.

Pete Morales #77, 6-1, 285 Left guard

Sam Herauf #97, 6-3, 255

Defensive End

Tyler Craig #91, 6-1, 240 Defensive end Collin Baumgart #43, 5-11, 195 Linebacker

David Arteaga

#21, 5-11, 225 Linebacker Brady Harkless #4, 5-10, 175 Safety

Zach McKinley #24, 5-11, 210 Running Back

Derek Lear #5, 5-11, 190 Quarterback

Shomari Burton #70, 6-2, 300 Center

Colton Hill #68, 6-3, 317 Nose tackle

Dylan Murphy #71, 6-6, 300 Right tackle

Wyatt McEntire-Mette #92, 6-3, 255 Defensive tackle

Quincy Mason #33, 6-0, 245 Linebacker

Logan Nathe #45, 6-1, 230 Defensive tackle KamiKanehailua #42, 6-1, 235 Linebacker

Matt Harkless #19, 6-0, 190 Safety

Rostyn Pace #74, 6-3, 275 Right guard

Myren Moore

#6 , 5-9, 190 Running back

Josh Baum #2, 6-1, 205 Free Safety

Alex Huitzil #32, 6-0, 230 Linebacker Hunter Chandler #34, 5-9, 188 Strong Safety

Weston Mudge #94, 6-1, 310 Nose tackle Jordan Van Voast

#40, 6-1, 220 Linebacker

Tyler Phillips #43, 6-2, 230 Defensive end

Trevor Baum #1, 6-1, 200 Punter

Lavorick Williams #3, 6-2, 195 Receiver

Meyer Bohn #54, 6-0, 255 Offensive line

Thad Lane #12, 6-1, 200 Quarterback

Kurt Aiken #44, 5-10, 215 Fullback Nick Yelton #65, 6-3, 260 Offensive line

Ryan Payne #63, 6-4, 290 Offensive line

Matt McCoy #20, 6-2, 200 Linebacker

Brock Overbo #84, 6-4, 250 Tight end

John Jansen #44, 6-3, 250 Tight end Jordan Rueschoff #14, 6-2, 185 Kicker

Hank Biesiot DSU Head Coach

Lane Millay #67, 6-3, 280 Offensive line

Josh Borm

Antwan Smith #5, 6-0, 175 Cornerback

Trevor Baum #1, 6-1, 200 Corner

J.T. Keith #80, 6-4, 195 Receiver

#17, 6-1, 170 Kicker/Punter

The 2013 season will mark Hank Biesiot's 38th season as head coach of the Blue Hawk football team. During his tenure, Coach Biesiot has become Dickinson State's all-time winningest football coach and has compiled a remarkable 257-111-1 overall record.

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Dickinson State Numerical Roster No.Name 4 Brady Harkless 5 Antwan Smith 6 Jerum AuClaire 6 Myren Moore 7 Kaler Ray 8 Robert Nalewaja 9 Zach Sandau 10 Dalyss Hanson 11 Dalton Reid 12 Thad Lane 13 Kendall Gordon 14 Jesse Carney 15 Brian Cronnelly 16 Shad Stanford 17 Josh Borm 18 Robert Sterling 19 Matt Harkless 20 Matt McCoy 21 Tyler Plughaupt 22 Shawn Alder 23 Riley Moore 24 Kyler Hughes 25 Hector Islas 26 Luke Hanel 27 Landon Olson 28 Levi Butkay 29 Austin Root 30 Shane Pearson 31 Bryce Herman 32 Alex Huitzil 33 Quincy Mason 34 Jordan Moore 35 Alec Stieg 36 Dexter Two Crow 37 Konner King 38 Justin Camara 39 David Spinner 40 Hazer Burghduff 41 Kyle Watson 42 Colten Johnston 43 Collin Baumgart 44 Kurt Aiken 45 Jake Hardy 46 Shane Noonan 47 Mark Angvick 48 Ty Borgialli 49 Taylor Tavegia 50 Lane Kopren 51 Drew Johnson 52 Pat Sweeney 53 Jay Phipps 54 Meyer Bohn 55 Colby Wartman 56 Michael Shaw 57 Dakota Webb 58 James Sedey III 59 Joe Murdock 62 Greg Lensert 63 Ryan Payne 64 Billie Gordon 65 Nick Yelton 66 Drew Senger 67 Lane Millay 68 Colton Hill 72 Mitch Godwin 73 Jereme Nereux

Year SO SR FR JR FR FR SO JR FR SO JR JR FR FR JR FR JR SO SO JR SO FR FR FR FR FR FR SR FR JR JR SO FR FR FR FR FR JR SR SO JR SO FR FR FR FR FR FR FR SR FR SO FR FR FR FR FR FR SR FR SR FR SO SR FR FR

Pos. DB DB DB RB QB DB RB WR WR QB RB RB QB DB WR QB DB DE DB DB RB DB DB DB DB RB RB LB RB LB LB RB DE RB DE RB RB TE LB LB DB RB RB DE DE DE LB DL LB DE DE OL DE DL LB LB DL DL OL OL OL OL OL DL OL OL

Ht. 5-10 6-0 5-8 5-9 6-5 5-10 5-9 6-2 5-11 6-2 5-10 5-10 6-5 6-2 5-11 5-10 6-0 6-2 6-0 5-11 5-10 6-2 5-9 6-2 5-10 5-8 6-2 5-9 5-10 5-11 5-11 6-2 6-2 5-11 6-0 5-10 5-10 6-1 6-1 6-1 5-11 5-10 5-11 5-11 6-3 6-0 6-1 5-11 6-1 6-1 5-11 6-2 6-0 5-11 6-0 5-11 5-11 6-2 6-4 6-1 6-3 6-6 6-2 6-3 6-0 6-3

Wt. 175 170 160 200 200 165 190 210 185 190 185 185 215 195 195 180 190 210 190 185 195 170 180 175 160 180 205 235 185 230 245 195 200 200 185 205 200 220 205 210 205 215 200 220 205 185 195 225 225 205 180 255 205 230 190 210 215 240 290 260 265 260 285 215 315 280

Hometown Hot Springs, SD Washington, D.C. Kalispell, MT Los Angeles, CA Glendale, AZ Miles City, MT Missoula, MT Crosby, ND Miles City, MT Cheyenne, WY Los Angeles, CA Kailua, HI Timberlake, ID Savage, MT Cheyenne, WY Palmdale, CA Hot Springs, SD Plentywood, MT Alliance, NE Colstrip, MT Casper, WY Mesquite, NV La Habra, CA Dickinson, ND Britton, SD Hardin, MT Kalispell, MT Fort Pierre, SD Laurel, MT San Lucas, CA Waimanalo, HI Monroe, WA Dickinson, ND Parshall, ND Roberts, MT Escalon, CA Denver, NC Ludlow, SD Ft. Bridger, WY Miles City, MT Wessington Springs, SD Grangeville, ID Beach, ND Cheyenne, WY Plentywood, MT Newcastle, WY Osage, WY Prairie City, SD West Fargo, ND Worland, WY Jordan, MT Bismarck, ND Worland, WY Rapid City, SD Casper, WY Rock Springs, WY Hardin, MT Casper, WY Livingston, MT Newcastle, WY Laramie, WY Miles City, MT Casper, WY Glasgow, MT Sheridan, WY Timberlake, ID

No.Name Year 74 Victor Lopez FR 75 Adrian Phillips SO 77 Curran Irvine FR 79 Zach Rose FR 80 JT Keith JR 81 Olan Donaldson FR 82 Wyatt Mirich SO 83 Bryce Keilback FR 84 Brock Overbo SR 85 Isaac Reiss FR 86 Chad Mosbrucker FR 87 Brian Erickson FR 88 Channing Wagner FR 89 Ethan Donaldson FR 90 Brock Wigert JR 91 Wyatt Hagler FR 92 Wyatt McEntire-Mette 93 Matt Perdue JR 94 Aaron Phillips FR 97 Sam Herauf JR

Pos. OL OL OL OL WR WR WR WR TE WR WR TE TE WR DL DE JR DL DE DL

Ht. 6-1 6-3 6-3 6-6 6-4 6-1 6-3 6-0 6-4 5-11 6-2 6-3 6-3 6-2 6-1 6-1 DL 5-11 5-11 6-3

Wt. 290 325 315 280 195 180 200 180 250 185 180 195 230 185 225 205 6-3 220 180 255

Hometown Los Angeles, CA Madras, OR Wheatland, WY Cheyenne, WY Miles City, MT Missoula, MT Big Horn, WY Brandon, MB Crosby, ND Shepherd, MT Mott, ND Pullman, WA South Heart, ND Missoula, MT Anaconda, MT Savage, MT 255 Surprise, AZ Ray, ND Madras, OR Dickinson, ND

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MSU-Northern Numerical Roster No. Name Yr. Pos. Ht. 1 Trevor Baum JR DB/P 6-1 2 Josh Baum SR DB 6-1 3 Lavorick Williams SR WR 6-1 4 Orin Johnson SR WR 6-0 5 Derek Lear SR QB 5-11 6 Nick Luoma JR WR 6-3 7 Dylan Woodhall FR WR 5-9 8 Travis Dean SO QB 6-0 10 Tanner Varner SR DB 5-10 11 Garrett Jericoff FR DB 5-9 12 Trace Brady FR DB 5-11 13 Butch Hyder JR DB 6-0 14 Jordan Rueschhoff JR K 6-2 16 Austin Walker FR QB 6-2 17 Jake Messerly FR WR 6-1 18 James Erickson FR WR 6-0 19 Dylan Barney FR DB 6-0 21 Victor Fermin JR DB 6-0 22 Mario Gabbato FR RB 5-8 23 Jai Johnson JR RB 5-9 24 Zach Mckinley FR RB 5-10 25 David Arteaga SR LB 5-11 26 Michael McCrary JR DB 5-9 30 Austin Schroeder FR LB 6-1 32 Justin Fritz FR FB/LB 6-1 34 Hunter Chandler JR DB 5-9 35 Jesse Morales FR LB 6-1 36 Jake Criner JR TE 6-1 40 Jordon Van Voast SR LB 6-1 41 Chance Nevarez JR FB 5-11 42 Kaimi Kanehailua JR LB 6-1 43 Tyler Phillips SR DL 6-2 44 John Jansen JR TE 6-3 45 Logan Nathe SR DE 6-1 46 Karsten Peterson FR LB 6-2 47 Jordan Brusio FR DE 6-0 50 Marc Evans SO DL 6-1 51 Zach Bangert SO OL 6-2 53 Austin Rychner FR DL 5-10 54 Owen Debruycker FR LB 5-11 56 Josh Jones SO LB 5-10 58 Adolfo Robles FR OL 6-2 59 Chase Vestre FR DL 6-2 66 Alex Cummings SR OL 6-0 68 Patrick Kiser JR OL 6-2 70 Shomari Burton JR OL 6-2

Wt. 195 205 195 200 190 210 175 195 200 180 185 190 185 225 185 185 170 175 175 205 205 230 170 225 215 188 190 245 210 245 235 230 245 230 205 210 245 270 235 225 220 285 215 270 295 305

Hometown Susanville, CA Susanville, CA Odessa, TX Cut Bank, MT Fairfield, MT Stockett, MT Stanford, MT Gilbert, AZ Baker, MT Hilmar, CA Fairfield, MT Boise, ID Gillette, WY Choteau, MT Missoula, MT Idaho Falls, ID La Habra, CA Granada Hills, CA Blaine, WA Detroit, MI Great Falls, MT La Habra, CA Las Vegas, NV Emmett, ID Power, MT Bozeman, MT La Habra, CA Kalispell, MT Havre, MT Madera, CA Ewa, HI Renton, WA Broadview, MT Helena, MT Columbia Falls, MT Billings, MT Bozeman, MT Concord, CA Ekalaka, MT Choteau, MT Chinook, MT Bakersfield, CA Helena, MT Missoula, MT A. Canyon, CA Bremerton, WA

No. Name 71 Dylan Murphy 74 Rostyn Pace 75 Wes Ostby 77 Pete Morales 78 Matthew Mckeen 80 Logan Mayernick 88 Brandt Montelius 90 Patrick Barnett 91 Tyler Craig 92 Lane Urick 94 Weston Mudge 95 Will Devos

Yr. Pos. Ht. SO OL 6-6 SR OL 6-3 SO OL 6-2 FR OL 6-1 SO OL 6-1 SO WR 5-11 SR WR 6-2 FR DL 6-3 FR DL 6-1 FR DL 6-0 FR DL 6-1 JR DL 6-1

Wt. 300 280 295 285 275 170 190 245 240 295 305 260

Hometown Gleichen, Alberta Sunburst, MT Deer Park, WA La Habra, CA Oakley, CA Centerville, MT Missoula, MT Billings, MT Great Falls, MT Great Falls, MT Bakersfield, CA Vale, OR

2012 Montana State University-Northern Football Staff Mark Samson, Head Coach/Offensive Line; Kyle Samson, Offensive Coordinator, QB's, Asst. Head Coach; Jake Eldridge, Defensive Coordinator, Strength and Conditioning; Scott Leeds, Wide Receivers; Kennedy Anderson, Linebackers; Darold Debolt, Defensive Line; Ron LaTray, Defensive backs; Jorge Magana, Student Asst./Offensive Line; Brandon O'Brien. Athletic Director: Christian Oberquell; Certified Athletic Trainer: Christian Oberquell; Assistant Athletic Trainer: Nichole Borst; Sports Information: Laramie Schwenke

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Sept. 20, 2013

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Varner: MSU-N corner quietly goes about his business on the field

Varner: Lengthy career has worked out well for Tanner Varner

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started 33 games since. And playing as a young corner, in what has been a pass-happy league of late, it wasn’t easy, but it speaks to just how good of a player Varner is. And his early success also speaks to just how well he was coached, both in high school, at Northern, and by older brother Casey, a former AllConference corner and safety for the Lights. “When I got here, we were pretty thin at corner,” Varner said. “And early in my first season, they (coaches) were thinking of pulling my redshirt and putting me in there. Thankfully, that didn’t happen because I feel like I needed that year to really get my bearings. I learned a lot that season. I played with the main defense in practice every week, and I was able to get up to speed. “So when I did move into the starting lineup the next year, I felt like I was ready,” he continued. “It was certainly a trial by fire that year, but I think I grew into the position pretty quickly.” That first year as a starter, Varner might have been a rookie, but he made his presence felt with a bang. In his MSU-N debut, he picked off a pass in a 20-3 win at UM-Western. He picked off another one the following week, and wound up with 27 tackles and a forced fumble that season. It was a great, and rare start for a freshman playing cornerback. And it was cemented by the fact he was able to play a full season alongside Casey, who had an All-Conference year for the Lights that same season. “It really helped me to have him (Casey) there,” Varner said. “It was fun to play with him, but more so, I learned so much. He pushed us and was hardest on us the most. He made sure we (secondary) were always studying film, he made sure we were focused in practice and he made sure we knew what we were supposed to be doing on the field, and when any of us didn’t know, he let us know about it. That was a great year and I was able to learn a lot from him.” Varner could have had a chance to mentor another brother later, but Kodee, another talented speedster from Baker, chose to go a separate

way with his football career. He’s now a red-shirt freshman running back at the University of North Dakota. “I did push him a little to come and play up here,” Varner said. “But as the bigger offers started to come in, I kind of left it alone and let him make his own decision. He wanted to go to a bigger school and I fully supported that. But if he had chosen a smaller school to play it, I’m pretty sure he would have been up here.” Now, with Kodee playing in Grand Forks, and Tanner off to a solid start in his senior season, Varner’s parents, who have spent most of the last eight years following the Lights around, have to choose between games 1,500 miles in the opposite direction. And the Lights meanwhile, have certainly gotten a lot of miles out of the ultra-talented middle Varner. In his career, he’s not only been able to start every game, but he’s racked up 131 total tackles, five interceptions

and four sacks. In 2011, he earned Frontier All-Conference honors, while last season, he recorded a career-high 55 stops with 4.5 tackles for loss, one interception and one sack. More importantly though than stats and accolades, which Varner has never been about, he’s been asked to cover some of the best receivers in the Frontier, and he’s been able to do it by training hard, working hard and, for the most part, staying healthy. “The end of my freshman season, in the last game actually, I tore my MCL,” he said. “That was tough to come back from. But yeah, for the most part I’ve been lucky to stay healthy in my career. It’s a tough position and you just have to make sure you train your body right. Do the right things in the weight room and in the offseason to stay healthy, stay fast and stay on the field.

■ See Varner Page 7

Havre Daily News/Daniel Horton Montana State University-Northern cornerback Tanner Varner, left, is in on a play during a Frontier Conference football game against Eastern Oregon in 2011 at Blue Pony S t a d i u m . Va r n e r w a s a F ro n t i e r A l l Conference corner in 2011, and followed that season up with a career-high 55 tackles in 2012. A product of Baker High School, Varner has started 33 straight games for the Lights and is an unquestioned senior leader this season. Varner is also one of the fastest Lights on the football field, as well as a true hard-working player.

“Tanner is a true blue collar guy. He shows up every single day and goes to work,” said Northern defensive coordinator Jake Eldridge. “He’s been that way since day one back in 2009 when he first got here. I don’t think he has missed a single practice, not one winter conditioning workout, not one lifting session, not one meeting. In everything he does, you will always get Tanner’s best effort. He carries a very proud chip on his shoulder about this program and school that doesn’t come around very often. Tanner has put his heart and soul into this university and football program for every bit of his five years here.” No doubt Varner does it all the right way, and he’s stayed on the field for Eldridge’s defense. Eldridge, a former Northern defensive back himself, knows just how important it is to have a senior leader like Varner in his secondary. “He has brought such a tremendous leadership role to our defense this year that it’s going to have an impact for many years to come,” Eldridge said. “Tanner and I have really grown together through this defense for the last four years. It’s as much his defense as anybody’s. He has had a huge role in where this defense is

now.” And while Varner doesn’t care about stats or awards too much, and he doesn’t care much for the trash talk he hears from wide receivers, he does care about wins. And if there’s one stat he cares the most about, it’s takeaways. He picked off four passes in his first two seasons at MSU-N, but the interceptions for him, and for the MSU-N secondary as a whole, haven’t come as often as they would like the last two years, and he, and the rest of the Lights’ secondary want to change that the rest of the 2013 campaign. “The first thing this group talked about when we came back this fall was getting more turnovers,” he said. “We have worked really hard on technique, and we decided we needed to work just as hard on the scheme stuff this season. We need to know what offenses do more, what their tendencies are and where we need to be at all times. We’ve worked really hard on that as a group this season, because we know, as an entire defense, we need to create more turnovers.” The Lights haven’t gotten many yet this season, but they’ve been close, especially the secondary, as they’ve had several near misses with INT’s the last couple of weeks. That’s

Havre Daily News/Daniel Horton Montana State University-Northern senior cornerback Tanner Varner has never been about the trash-talk or the flashiness which is common at his position. Instead, Varner leads by example, going out on the field to do his job and help his team win football games. Varner and the Lights will play their homecoming game this Saturday against Dickinson State University. It will be Varner's final homecoming game in a career which started as a redshirt in 2009, and has spanned 33 starts, over 15o career tackles and five career interceptions.

something Varner wants to make sure changes as his senior season wears on. And while he’s already had an illustrious career, as one of the most reliable cornerbacks in the Frontier Conference the last four years, the hard-working, quiet kid from Baker knows there’s still work to be done. He sees the light at the end of the tunnel, and he wants to make sure he, and the Lights get there the right way. “We always talk about legacy and what it means and how we want to be remembered,” Eldridge said. “Well Tanner Varner’s legacy around here in my eyes is one of a tremendous work ethic, a never die easy attitude, and the ability to garner a deep pride in who you are and what your about as a person. “It’s been a roller coaster ride the last five years, but it’s been great being a part of this program,” Varner said. “And as far as the rest of this season goes, first, I just want to stay healthy so that I can be out there and help my team win football games. And we just need to keep this thing rolling. We’re off to a good start, and we need to keep it rolling. Keep winning football games and give ourselves a chance at the Frontier title. “If the all-conference stuff and all that comes with it, that’s great, but that’s not what I’m worried about,” he continued. “I just want to keep rolling and keep winning. That’s what it’s all about to me.” The Lights are indeed rolling right now, and they’ll look to keep that roll going when Varner suits up for his last homecoming game this Saturday against Dickinson State. But no matter how much success the Lights have against the Blue Hawks on Saturday, or how much Varner succeeds the rest of this season, his last in a Northern uniform, you won’t hear him talking about it. You won’t see him being flashy about it. No, that’s not the Baker Spartan way or the Varner family way. Instead, Varner will be humble and be quiet in success. That’s his way. And that way has worked our pretty well so far.