Fall sports for Northern State Athletics are coming to an end, with winter sports beginning to get into the swing of things.

The football team concluded its season with a late defensive stand to hold off Wayne State 28-21 last weekend. The Wildcats scored on the first possession of the game.

The Wolves bounced back with a 1-yard Hank Kraft touchdown run with 13:10 left in the half.

The following drive, Wayne regained the lead on a 3-yard run, and it wasn’t late in the first half when Daniel Britt found Cade Kaiser for his first collegiate touchdown to tie the game at 14-14 going into halftime.

It was all Northern in the third quarter as Kraft found the end zone for the second time, and Colton Hackel leaped over the pile to extend the lead to 28-14. Wayne State made it a one-score game as Akeen Knox scored his second touchdown of the day, an 18-yard run.

Wayne eventually had the ball at their own 39-yard line with 1:50 left in the game and no timeouts for its final possession. The Wildcats marched down to the NSU 7-yard line and had time for one final snap as time ran out, which resulted in an incomplete pass broken up by Kegan Mountain.

Britt went 11-16 for 144 yards passing, while rushing for 44 yards, and catching a pass from Jacob Van Landingham for 12 yards. Kraft was the leading rusher on the day with 17 carries for 110 yards and two touchdowns. Senior Jack Oedekoven was the leading receiver with two catches for 65 yards.

Defensively, Jake Adams led the day with 12 tackles, followed by Mountain and Logan Grossinger with 10 each. Mountain also collected his fifth interception of the year, and Luke Gunderson recorded his second interception of the year.

The Wolves finish the season winning 6 of their last 7 games after an 0-4 start. Out of their 11 games, six were decided by one possession, five of them coming as wins. The Wolves currently sit fifth in conference with a 6-4 conference record, while the rest of the NSIC plays their final games this week.

The soccer team played its final game of the year last Thursday against Mary. At the time, the Wolves were eighth and needed at least a tie to make playoffs.

Unfortunately, the Wolves dropped their final contest of the year, 3-0. UMary scored two quick goals in the 12th minute and 17th minute of the game. They closed out the game with a final goal in the 83rd minute. Megan Fastenau, Chloe Voss and Lauren Carpenter each had one shot on goal for NSU, with Alexus Townsend saving 4 out of the 7 shots on goal in her last game.

The men’s cross country team also finished out its season at the NCAA Central Region Championships. Nathan Alto finished led the Wolves in 70th place with a new personal best in the 10k with a time of 32:19.8. Jacob Angerhofer, Bailen Hayford, David VanVeen and Taylor Thorson rounded out the remaining four spots for the Wolves.

The volleyball team had a huge weekend, with a pair of five-set road wins, moving them up three spots in the poll from 21 to 18.

The Wolves started their weekend defeating University of Sioux Falls 24-26, 27-25, 9-25, 25-14, 15-7. Hanna Thompson led the day with 19 kills, followed by Natalia Szybinska and Morissen Samuels with 14 each. Mia Hinsz brought in three aces, and Reese Johnson finished with two. Abby Brooks and Victoria Persha added six blocks each, and Keri Walker contributed 52 assists.

In their second match of the weekend, the Wolves upset previously ranked 10th Wayne State 25-18, 18-25, 19-25, 25-20, 15-11. Thompson and Szybinska led with 18 kills each, followed by Samuels with 17. Brooks had another six blocks, and Walker added 60 assists.

The women’s basketball squad dropped both of its game last weekend. On Friday, the Wolves lost 85-55 to 13th ranked Pittsburg State. Alayna Benike led the Wolves with 21 points, shooting 3-of-5 from 3-point range. Rianna Fillipi led the team in rebounds and assists with 8 and 6 respectively. Izzy Moore followed with eight points, and Morgan Fielder added seven.

On Saturday, a slow second half caused a four-point loss to Nebraska Kearney. Decontee Smith was the leading scorer with 21 points, followed by Madelyn Bragg with 15. Michaela Jewett collected her double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

The men’s basketball squad also dropped both of its games last weekend on the road. On Friday, the Wolves lost to Missouri Western State 75-61. Marcus Burks, Kwat Abdelkarim and Ethan Russell each had 10 points. Burks also finished with six rebounds, and seven assists, both team highs on the day.

On Sunday, the Wolves fell to Emporia State 83-69. Burks was the leading scorer with 20 points, followed by Abdelkarim with 15, and James Glenn with 12. Abdelkarim was the leading rebounder with six, and Burks had a team high five assists.

The wrestling team competed at the DWU Open taking sixth place overall, with six top-5 finishes. True freshman Sloan Johannsen finished second at the 125-pound weight class.

Third place finishes came from Mason Fey, Damen Pape, and Nathan Schauer. Izaak Hunsley and Tyson Lien each earned fifth-place finishes for the Wolves.

The wrestling squad will kick off the week of NSU with a home duel against Dakota Wesleyan at 7 tonight.

On Friday, home action will continue with the volleyball team hosting Augustana at 6 p.m.at Wachs Arena. NSU won a previous match in five sets. Men’s and women’s basketball will be on the road. The travel to Rapid City to take on Black Hills State, and the men travel to Nampa, Idaho to take on Northwest Nazarene.

On Saturday, Wolves volleyball will host 16th-ranked Southwest Minnesota State, a team NSU lost to in five sets earlier this season. The womens’ basketball team will face South Dakota Mines in Rapid City.

On Tuesday, the men’s basketball team will host its home opener at Wachs Arena against Dakota State at 7 p.m.

With the volleyball season nearing the end, all conference teams have already been selected.

Abby Meister earned Libero of the Year, while also being named First Team All-Conference. Natalia Szybinska was also selected to the First Team. Hanna Thompson and Keri Walker both earned Second Team All-Conference. The week two regional rankings also just came out, with the Wolves moving into the ninth slot.