RAPID CITY, S.D. --- The South Dakota Mines football team opened it's a season with a big victory over a solid Missouri S&T program to start the season on Thursday night.
 
The Hardrocker football team started strong and was able to hold on late
 
The first drive for the Hardrockers was going smoothly, with a 55-yard scamper by freshman signal caller Jayden Johannsen. Unfortunately, that drive was ended by a fumble after a completed pass to Isiah Eastman. The Hardrocker defense stepped up, and regained the ball on a fumble forced by Justin Broekemeier that was recovered by Kendahl Johnson. The Hardrockers offense was able to take advantage scoring on an 11-play 67-yard drive, capped of by a touchdown pass from Johannsen to Jeremiah Bridges. On the ensuing Missouri S&T drive, Adrian Eastman returned a fumble for a 71-yard touchdown to give the Hardrockers a 13-0 lead, which grew to 14-0 following the successful point after from Connor Taylor. To end the first quarter, the Hardrocker special teams kept Missouri S&T on a blocked field goal by Jarod Svennson.
 
Missouri S&T got on the board with a field goal early in the second quarter to cut into the Hardrockers lead, 14-3. That is the way it would stay until another big special teams play by the Hardrockers. This time it was a punt that was blocked and returned by Austin Alosi to give the offense great field position. Ahmad Lewis would take in a 7-yard rush to the endzone, and a successful pat would expand the Hardrocker lead to 21-3 going into halftime.
 
Out of halftime the Miners of Missouri S&T would strike for a 65-yard touchdown on the first play to narrow the gap to 21-10. Later in the third quarter the Hardrockers would add a field goal to finish off an 8-play 50 yard drive. On the ensuing Missouri S&T drive, Kendahl Johnson would intercept a pass and bring it back 27 yards for a score. Heading into the fourth, the Hardrockers held a 31-10 lead.
 
South Dakota mines would expand the lead to start the fourth after connecting on a field goal to end a 12-play 47 yard drive. After that, Missouri S&T would score 21 unanswered points giving them the chance to tie the game up after a punt from Casey Knutson put them in a tough spot inside their own 15-yard line with less than a minute remaining. The Hardrocker defense put the game to rest from there thanks in part to a Gavin Chaddock sack.