The Raiders will once again advance to the quarterfinals of the NAIA Championship Series with a 55-24 victory over Dickinson State.
Following standout performances from senior quarterback Tanner Trosin and senior safety Oshay Dunmore, Southern Oregon University is advancing beyond the first round of the playoffs for the seventh time in a row. Trosin passed for 384 yards and four scores, remaining a constant force on the offensive side of the ball, adding another 85 yards on the ground. Dunmore earned the title of defensive player-of-the-week after a sack, forced fumble, and his fourth interception on the season.
SOU again put up impressive numbers on the offensive end, starting immediately on the first play of the game, with Trosin finding receiver Parker Randle for 43 yards on the first play from scrimmage. They did not slow down after that, either, with Trosin hitting Dominic Giampaoli two plays later for a 14-yard touchdown to grab their first lead of the game, a lead they would not relinquish.
Only a few minutes later, Trosin completed his second touchdown of the first six minutes of the game with a 38-yard strike to Jordan Suell, capping an eight play, 73-yard drive. Dickinson State responded with a field goal, but it would prove to be too little when SOU’s offense would react with three more consecutive scoring drives. Kicker, Marcus Montano extended the lead to 14 points with a 20-yard field goal to bring an end to a 14 play, 72-yard drive to begin the second quarter.
Already up 17-3 in the second quarter, the Raider offense went back to work following a Dickinson State turnover early in the second quarter. Trosin hooked up with running back Rey Vega, who had put up 293 yards rushing in just his last two games, for another score, this time coming on a 37-yard screen pass.
On the Blue Hawks’ following drive, SOU defensive tackle Josiah Maglente-Tonu made arguably the play of the game. He snagged a Hayden Gibson pass out of the air, hurdled another DSU player, and took the interception 21 yards to the house for the score. The interception return touchdown served as a first half nail in the coffin for the Raiders, who had five takeaways on the day, as it put the game nearly out of reach with a 31-3 SOU lead in the first half.
The Blue Hawks would cut into the lead with a second quarter touchdown, briefly lowering the lead to 31-10. However, the Raiders would not let the first half end without another score. The Raiders would extend the lead back to 28 points on Vega’s second touchdown of the game, a nine-yard scamper with under a minute to go in the half. Vega would go on to score a third and final touchdown late in the third quarter.
The Raiders then overcame an early second half push by DSU to start the second half. The Blue Hawks scored two unanswered touchdowns before Vega’s final score extended SOU’s lead to 45-24. The Raiders again scored another rushing touchdown and add a field goal before the end of the game.
The final score would go SOU 55, DSU 24. The Raiders will go on to the quarterfinal round next week.