{"id":295782,"date":"2025-09-23T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-09-23T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/csinewsnow.com\/?p=295782"},"modified":"2025-09-23T11:19:37","modified_gmt":"2025-09-23T16:19:37","slug":"und-football-routs-valparaiso-on-homecoming","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/csinewsnow.com\/?p=295782","title":{"rendered":"UND Football Routs Valparaiso on Homecoming"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Grand Forks ND (UND) – No. 16\/17 North Dakota (2-2) routed Valparaiso (1-3), 58-7, during Homecoming inside the Alerus Center on Saturday afternoon. After VU’s lone touchdown coming out of halftime, UND scored the next 34 points and cruised to victory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Beacons scored their only points of the game on a 67-yard pass after halftime and then Sawyer Seidl<\/a><\/dfn> slammed the doors shut on any hope of a Valpo comeback with a 92-yard touchdown return on the following kickoff. Two of UND’s scores after that point were setup by John Butsch<\/a><\/dfn> blocked punts, while Jy Martin<\/a><\/dfn> jumpstarted a drive with an interception.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the game, North Dakota racked up 448 yards of offense on 70 plays and held Valparaiso to 159 yards offensively on 55 snaps. The Hawks went a perfect 6-for-6 in the red-zone and did not allow the Beacons to reach the red-zone in the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seidl recorded a trio of touchdowns, scoring the opening points on a seven-yard rush and then added a 20-yard receiving touchdown before intermission. He also scored on a 92-yard kickoff return following Valpo’s lone touchdown. Seidl finished with a game-high 168 all-purpose yards, highlighted by 101 yards on kick returns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Four Fighting Hawks saw time at quarterback in the win. Jerry Kaminski<\/a><\/dfn> led the QBs and went 13-for-19 passing for 172 yards and a pair of scores. Eleven different Hawks caught passes in the game, with Nate DeMontagnac<\/a><\/dfn> hauling in a team-best four grabs for 50 yards. Xavier Leigh<\/a><\/dfn> paced the backfield and netted 64 yards on eight touches and had his first score in a UND uniform on a 23-yard rush midway through the third stanza.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UND held a 14-0 lead at the two minute timeout before intermission and then had a scoring flurry of 10 points to lead 24-0 at the break. With 55 seconds to go before halftime, Seidl found the end-zone for the second time of the afternoon, this time on a 20-yard reception. As time expired in the half, C.J. Elrichs<\/a><\/dfn> extended the lead with a 38-yard field goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prior to the scoring flurry, Seidl scored the first points of the game on a seven-yard rush at the midway point of the opening quarter. Deng Deng<\/a><\/dfn> then caught a two-yard pass early in the second stanza to get the score to 14-0.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After intermission, UND had a scoring explosion in the second half and scored touchdowns in the form of Seidl’s 92-yard kick return, a Simon Romfo<\/a><\/dfn> five-yard rush, a Leigh 23-yard run and a Javance Tupou’ata-Johnson<\/a><\/dfn> five-yard rush. Elrichs also drilled a pair of field goals in the final 30 minutes and finished the afternoon a perfect 3-for-3 kicking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

North Dakota will be off next weekend before visiting Northern Iowa at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 4. The game will air on ESPN+ and will be carried on the Fighting Hawks Radio Network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Postgame Notes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n