Monthly Archives: October 2011

Laqua won’t pull redshirt off his true freshman QB this season

Posted on by
Reply

MSUM head coach Steve Laqua, left, and senior QB Kevin Koch, right

Minnesota State Moorhead head coach Steve Laqua said he won’t pull the redshirt on freshman quarterback Myles Montplaisir, who had been the team’s No. 2 QB all season, but hasn’t seen any playing time.

The Dragons have three games to play this season, including Saturday’s home game against the University of Mary at Alex Nemzek Stadium. At this point of the season, Laqua doesn’t want to burn Montplaisir’s redshirt, even if there is an injury to the starter.

Senior Bryson Pluta, who had played QB earlier in his MSUM career, will be the backup for the Dragons in case senior starter Kevin Koch gets injured.

“Myles, we moved him to scout team this week,” Laqua said. “With Kevin being healthy coming out of last week and healthy going into this week, Pluta is a guy we have gotten ready this week.”

Video feature on Dragons women’s soccer team

Posted on by
Reply

The Minnesota State Moorhead women’s soccer team concludes its regular season this weekend. The Dragons have Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference games at Upper Iowa on Saturday and at Winona State on Sunday.

The Dragons are 8-6-1 overall and 4-6-1 in the NSIC. The team has had a turnaround season after posting a 1-15-1 record in the previous fall. Below is a video feature on the team courtesy of MSUM Campus News. Student Robert Swansen put together the package.

Cobbers video feature: senior volleyball player Katie Vohnoutka

Posted on by
Reply

The Concordia women’s volleyball team has been on a record-setting tear of late, winning 30 consecutive sets during a 10-match winning streak. That is both a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and school record. The Cobbers (22-3, 9-1 MIAC) haven’t lost a set since Sept. 21 and are tied for first place in the MIAC with one match remaining in the regular season.

Senior middle hitter Katie Vohnoutka has been one of the key players during the team’s recent run of strong play. Below is a video feature on Vohnoutka courtesy of the Concordia sports information department. Communications staff member Gia Rassier put together the video package.

Horan: Cobbers can’t afford ‘hiccup’ if they want to make the Division III football playoffs

Posted on by
Reply

Cobbers head football coach Terry Horan

Concordia plays at winless Hamline (0-6, 0-4 MIAC) at 1 p.m. Saturday in Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football. On the surface, the game looks like a trap game for the Cobbers. They are coming off a big homecoming win against Augsburg last week and have a Bethel (5-1, 3-1) waiting in the wings next weekend.

“It can’t be because if we have a hiccup, we’re out of it,” Cobbers head coach Terry Horan said.

The Cobbers (5-2, 3-2 MIAC) have three games remaining on their regular-season schedule and have a chance to make the Division III playoffs if they win out. The Cobbers have a tough road game at St. Olaf (5-1, 3-1) to close out the regular season.

“Our kids are playing with a great deal of confidence and they are excited,” Horan said. “They are excited to be in the talks of what can happen down the road if we run the table. They know if we have a hiccup, it’s over, so we have a lot to play for.”

Pluta getting ‘prep’ work at quarterback for Dragons

Posted on by
Reply

MSUM senior Bryson Pluta

Minnesota State Moorhead is nearing the point of this football season where the Dragons would not pull the redshirt off freshman quarterback Myles Montplaisir, even if senior starter Kevin Koch got injured.

Montplaisir has been the No. 2 QB all season, but has yet to see the playing field. Dragons head coach Steve Laqua said senior long snapper Bryson Pluta is getting work at quarterback this week just in case.

Pluta had played QB earlier in his MSUM career.

The Dragons have four games remaining, including Saturday’s Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference game at Augustana.

“We’re starting to prep Pluta for a quarterback role just looking down the road if we get through the next two weeks without using Myles,” Laqua said. “He’s (Montplaisier) getting close to the breaking point here of us just pulling the plug and it becoming E’Boni or Pluta.”

Senior running back E’Boni Lucious-West could get time at quarterback if there are injury issues down the stretch.

“Hopefully, it’s a decision that we don’t have to make,” Laqua said. “It’s something as coaches we have to think big picture and still be ready for the current.”

Laqua hopes to redshirt QB Montplaisir this season

Posted on by
Reply

Dragons senior quarterback Kevin Koch

Minnesota State Moorhead first-year head football coach Steve Laqua said he hopes to redshirt freshman quarterback Myles Montplaisir this season. Montplaisir, a former Fargo Shanley standout, is listed at No. 2 on the MSUM depth chart, but hasn’t played yet this season.

“If we can we’re going to try and redshirt him,” said Laqua said.

Senior quarterback Kevin Koch (Elmhurst, Ill.) has started all six games for the Dragons, who are 2-4 overall and 1-4 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.

Laqua said if Koch were to get knocked from the game for a series or a couple of plays, senior running back E’Boni Lucious-West (Country Club Hills, Ill.) would play QB and MSUM would run a Wildcat-type package.

If Koch sustains a long-term injury, Montplaisir would be pushed into action and have his redshirt pulled.

“Any extended time, Myles would get the nod,” Laqua said.

The Dragons have already had three true freshman earn playing time this season – defensive back Stefan Webber (Fargo), linebacker Andrew Pittman (Miami, Fla.) and offensive lineman Kasey Groettum (Lisbon, N.D.). True freshman Drew Viken (Fosston, Minn.) will have is redshirt pulled this weekend. Viken is slated to start a right tackle for the Dragons on Saturday at Bemidji State.

Dragons’ Williamson expected to be sidelined until mid-November with foot injury

Posted on by
Reply

Dragons senior Dennis Williamson averaged 10.5 points per game last season

Minnesota State Moorhead head men’s basketball coach Chad Walthall said that he expects 6-foot-6 senior forward Dennis Williamson to be sidelined until mid-November. Walthall confirmed that Williamson recently suffered a broken foot.

“It gives us a chance to look at some other guys,” Walthall said.

The Dragons have six newcomers on the roster and four of them are forwards with size. Jake Lindfors, a 6-10 junior, transferred from Division I Albany in the offseason. Three freshmen Trevor Jorgenson (6-8), Ben Figini (6-8) and Isaac Sevlie (6-10) are also expected to compete for playing time in the upcoming season. MSUM starts practice Saturday.

Redshirt freshman Jordan Riewer (6-1) and junior transfer Scotty Kenny (6-4) are also expected to be key additions.

“Both Jordan Riewer and Scotty Kenny have a good idea on how to play the game,” Walthall said. “I think they play the right way. They have good basketball instincts.”

The Dragons also have two new assistant coaches this season. Dan Weisse is the lead assistant and recruiting coordinator. He spent the previous four seasons as the director of operations for North Dakota State men’s basketball program. Josh Vaughan is the other assistant. The former NDSU guard was the director of basketball operations at Wofford College last season.