MINOT, N.D. – The Beavers get one last chance to make an impact this season and will be ready for the opportunity as they head to Winona State on Saturday for the football finale for both teams.

Minot State (1-9 overall, 1-8 NSIC) looks to finish strong, building momentum for the offseason and sending its seniors off with happy memories as they kick off against the Warriors at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

The Warriors (4-6, 4-5) will be celebrating "Senior Day" themselves.

"There'll be no shortage of emotion and no shortage of effort," Minot State head coach Ian Shields said reflecting on both teams.

"…From our perspective, we're going to get out there and improve and continue this path we're on and get better. We've got a lot of guys coming back next year, this isn't the final game for a lot of these guys who will be coming back. We need to build upon this; we need to play better football together collectively and carry that forward into the offseason."

The Beavers take on a solid Winona State team that last season shared the NSIC South title and has been tough again this year as they average 26.6 points per game and 375.3 yards per game on offense.

Cair'ron Hendred leads the way on the ground with 546 yards and 5 rushing TDs, while quarterback Cole Stenstrom is fifth in the conference completing 170-of-299 passes for 2,266 yards and 16 TDs.

"They're really good offensively, that's a real challenge," Shields said. "They've put up a lot of numbers all season long.

"Defensively they're talented, they're really strong up front," Minot State's coach added noting that the team is third in the NSIC with 28 sacks led by Enrique DeLeon with 8 sacks, and leading tackler Clay Schueffner who has 75 tackles, including 2 sacks.

But, the Warriors also have allowed 401.6 yards per game and 29.1 points per contest to foes, leaving an opening offensively for the Beavers and true-freshman Myles West who has been a constant dependable force in the backfield during an injury-riddled season. West has run for team-bests of 682 yards and 5 touchdowns and is eighth in the NSIC in rushing yards per game (68.2).

He'll look to anchor the offense, while defensive back Isaiah Bigby, the new all-time leader in tackles at Minot State, leads the defense as he is No. 4 in the NSIC this season with 80 tackles.

Of course, while individual play will be a key, the emotion and energy the Beavers take on the road in this finale will be a bigger factor in the day's outcome.

"The emotional edge and the mental part of it; we need to travel better than we did the last one," Shields said of the key to victory this weekend. "We have a young football team and I think we didn't handle it great last week on our Michigan trip.

"We need to get up for this game, we need to be excited to play and we should be, and I believe we will be.

"Then I think we've got to be better on first down offensively."

Come out with emotion and play with energy, and be productive on first down, and the Beavers could head into the offseason with momentum after a potential memorable finale this weekend.