Northern State’s Hank Kraft finds the end zone in the first quarter of the Wolves 42-17 win over Chadron State Thursday, Aug. 27 at Dacotah Bank Stadium. Kraft rushed for 232 yards and four touchdowns. Aberdeen Insider photo by Robb Garofalo.

Hank Kraft’s return from a knee injury last year yielded 232 yards rushing and four touchdowns as Northern State whipped Chadron State 42-17 on Thursday, Aug. 27 at Dacotah Bank Stadium.

The fifth-year running back from Timber Lake carried the ball 15 times, averaging 15.5 yards per carry and scoring on runs of 2, 41, 68 and 89 yards.

Sidelined after Northern’s 53-14 road win against the University of Mary on Sept. 27, 2025, Kraft expected to be productive, but maybe not to the extent he was.

“It felt awesome to be back out there, but, no, I didn’t think I’d rush for over 200 yards,” he said. “I mean I got the carries, but our offensive line was incredible tonight. Three of the touchdowns I had I was basically untouched. Our line, our tight ends, it just made my job pretty easy.”

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Once those holes opened and Kraft got to the defensive secondary, “all I had to do was hit the gas and try not to get caught.”

Northern State head coach Mike Schmidt said Kraft proved how dangerous he is.

“Hank is just one of those guys that can take it the distance anytime he touches the ball. Over 200 yards and at one point a 42-3 lead, I mean, I don’t think we expected that against (Chadron), but I was just really proud of our offense tonight.

The Wolves picked up 486 yards on offense.

Critical moments before, after halftime

There were critical plays just before and after halftime.

With 2:57 left in the second quarter, Northern’s Richard Prescott recovered a fumble on the kick return after the Wolves had punted. On the next play, quarterback Ty Englehart hooked up with Jessie Campbell on a 23-yard touchdown pass to put NSU up 21-0.

Northern received the kickoff after halftime. Then, on the first play from the Chadron 22-yard line, quarterback Joey Dube-Garrett fumbled while he was being sacked near the goal line. Defensive lineman Griffin Clubb recovered the ball for an apparent Eagle touchdown that could have made it 21-10. But, the Wolves challenged the play, and it was ruled to be an incomplete pass.

Northern didn’t score on that drive, but the next time the Wolves had the ball, Englehart found wide receiver Cooper Eisenbeisz, an Aberdeen Central graduate, on an 89-yard scoring strike to make it 28-3.

“I got hit right as I was throwing it and went pretty hard to the turf and never saw what happened,” Englehart said. “I heard some oohs and ahs, but I didn’t know if it was a pick or if Coop caught it. Once I heard the big crowd pop, I was like, ‘Cool, he must have caught it,’ but I’m still rolling around on the ground, so I didn’t know it was a touchdown.”

Northern State quarterback Ty Englehart steps into a throw during the first quarter of the Wolves 42-17 win over Chadron State Thursday, Aug. 27 inside Dacotah Bank Stadium. Blocking Griffin Clubb of the Eagles is Wolves offensive lineman Paden Johnson. Aberdeen Insider photo by Robb Garofalo.

Quarterbacks Englehart, Dube-Garrett solid in debuts

Northern State’s Joey Dube-Garrett follows through on a pass after being hit by Chadron State’s Griffin Clubb Thursday, Aug. 27 at Dacotah Bank Stadium.

Englehart and Dube-Garrett split time at quarterback. Englehart started and completed his first five passes. He led the Wolves on a 10-play, 83-yard drive to open the game.

Kraft scored from 2 yards out to make it 7-0.

“Coach (Kiefer) Price did a great job with the opening script, just getting me started with some easy passes because we had a pretty good idea what defense they would be in,” Englehart said. “We got some early rhythm on a couple swing routes and flat routes, so it worked out really well.”

He also led scoring drives of 23, 89 and 97 yards, completing eight of 10 passes for 179 yards.

Dube-Garrett went six of 14 for 28 yards and led scoring drives of 80 and 81 yards.

Schmidt said the Wolves made use of the skillsets both quarterbacks have.

“Great night for both guys. They just both bring different elements to the game, and we utilized those tonight. Ty was really good tonight. You saw how physically and mentally tough he was converting on a couple fourth downs, and Joey did the same on the second scoring drive. I mean, both guys made some tight throws through a couple different reads in their defense, and if we can keep them upright and use the entire playbook, we’re gonna have success,” he said.

Northern State’s Gabe Gutierrez dives to make the tackle on Chadron State quarterback Aidan Thompson during the third quarter of the Wolves 42-17 victory Thursday, Aug. 27 at Dacotah Bank Stadium. Aberdeen Insider photo by Robb Garofalo.

Wolves defense bends, doesn’t break

Defensive lineman Gabe Gutierrez returned following a season-ending knee injury suffered on Oct. 10, 2025, against Minnesota Duluth.

He and the rest of the defense held the Eagles to just three points through the first three quarters before the starters were given the fourth quarter off.

“Having all my brothers back out on the field, you just felt it — the juice, the camaraderie, the trust — it was so awesome to get out there with the guys again,” Gutierrez said. “I mean, it had been almost a full year with me gone, with Hank, with Jake (Adams, a linebacker), Keegan (Mountain, a defensive back). Coach Schmidt did a great job of reminding us we’re built around the guys who have been here, and getting back out there with all of them (was) just awesome, man.”

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He finished with six tackles, including one for a 4-yard loss.

“Oh man, yeah, that first hit, you can’t recreate what that’s like, you just have to be there in the trenches. Nerves are going, but once you hit that first guy it’s a sense of, ‘Oh yeah, we’re back, and it’s time to have some fun,”” Gutierrez said.

Chandon converted on just six of 15 third downs, and Schmit said the NSU defense has potential to cause trouble for lots of opponents.

“With Gabe and Ayden (Barnby), we have two elite pass rushers, we’ve got Jake and Cooper (Logan) and crew at linebacker, Keegan had three pass breakups tonight,” Schmidt said. “If we get teams to third down, with the corners we have and the edge (rushers) we have, it’s tough to convert against us.”

‘Nights at The Bank are just different’

Northern State’s Graham Borden stands up Chadron State’s Devon Rivers during the fourth quarter of the Wolves 42-17 win Thursday, Aug. 27 at Dacotah Bank Stadium. Joining Borden on the tackle is Kistyn Odom.

Opening night saw more than 5,500 people inside Dacotah Bank Stadium. Schmidt appreciated the fans and said foes have to adjust to the environment.

“These are tough games for opponents to play. Someone had told me that Chadron probably wouldn’t be phased by playing here because (last season) they played at Pittsburgh State, they played at Pueblo State. It doesn’t matter — nights at The Bank are just different, and when teams feel that pressure and groundswell from the fans, it’s hard to lift that weight off their chests.”

Englehart said the crowd did not disappoint during his first game at Dacotah Bank Stadium.

“Fans are awesome here, and on a Thursday? Man, it was pretty amazing to see them and to hear them throughout. No way I’d like to be on the other side of the field and have to play here,” he said.

The Wolves host Winona State at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3 in a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference battle.

Winona opened its season dropping a 15-9 decision to the University of St. Thomas, an NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision team.

“We’re gonna give the guys a couple days off and recover and get back to work Sunday, which is nice because you get a whole day as opposed to a weekday where the guys have class, so it actually helps us a bit to prep for a good Winona team,” Schmidt said. “Another Thursday, right before Labor Day weekend, let’s get everybody the day off Friday and party like crazy next week.”