RAPID CITY - The opportunities were there, the high-powered offense was not.

Entering the game, the South Dakota Mines football team was averaging better than 46 points per game, but against 23rd-ranked Jamestown College, the Hardrockers were held to less than half that in a 27-19 Dakota Athletic Conference loss.

While the offense sputtered on a cold, rainy day, it was the Mines defense that had the highlight plays in the second half to keep the team in the game until the final seconds.

"Our defense played a great game in the second half," Mines head coach Dan Kratzer said. "We weren't effective on offense and we thought we would be much better running the ball, and we thought we would be much better passing the ball.

"That is a defending conference champion, they are ranked nationally and they are a good team. We are getting close … we just have to keep pushing to get better."

The Hardrockers looked like they may have seized momentum early in the fourth quarter when Jamestown decided to go for it on a fourth-and-5 on the Mines' 41-yard line. Jimmies' quarterback Josh Kittell dropped back to pass but was hit by Eric Yeash forcing a fumble recovered by Jarrod Luze who ran 45 yards to close the deficit to 21-19.

"That put us right back in the game, but we missed the two-point conversion on a perfect pass but we dropped it," Kratzer said. "Those kind of things happen."

The Hardrockers' defense forced a three-and-out in the next series, but Mines' quarterback Nick Russell - who struggled in the conditions going 11-for-29 for 103 yards and three interceptions - was picked off by Drew Baier who ran 27 yards for the score.

The Jimmies (4-2, 2-1) did leave the Hardrockers a glimmer of hope as they decided to go for two instead of the extra point, which would have made it a two possession game. Kittell's pass was incomplete keeping the score at 27-19.

"If they would have just kicked the ball we would have had to score twice and that was a real blessing," Kratzer said. "I was hoping that would come back and haunt them but it didn't."

A medley of turnovers followed with Mines fumbling the ball away on its next possession. Chad Westendorf got the ball back for Mines with a pick, but Baier returned the favor with his second interception with 6:35 left in the game.

Mines (4-2 overall, 2-1 DAC) did make one more push into Jimmies' territory at the 43-yard line, but on fourth down the Hardrockers elected to punt with 2:15 remaining. The defense would hold, but with just 24 seconds left in the game Russell threw his third pick to end any hope of a rally.

The game started well for the Rockers as they forced Jamestown to punt on its first possession, and when the snap sailed over the punter's head, Mines was set up on the Jimmies' 24. Running back Jamie Dale ran for 23 yards the first time he touched the ball and Russell went the final yard two plays later to put his team up 7-0.

Jamestown was able to hold Dale reasonably in check as he did rush for 100 yards, but it took him 28 carries to reach the number.

Kittell had a big first half picking apart the Mines' defense for 225 yards and two scores before halftime. He hit Max Boe for a 62-yard strike to put his team up 14-10 after one and finished the game with 332 yards through the air.

Mines closed the gap to 14-13 on a 22-yard field goal from freshman kicker Andy Smith.

Mines had a couple of chances to take a lead into the locker room, but two field goal misses and a 65-yard punt return for touchdown by Dustin Meneley as time expired was negated by a penalty.

"Obviously, (the return) would have made a big difference," Kratzer said. "With us coming out (after halftime) and getting the ball right away too, but that is the name of the game and you have to deal with it."

In a matchup of the top two scoring offenses in the Dakota Athletic Conference, the Jimmies finished the game with 428 yards of offense to Mines' 223.

The 'Rockers are back in action Saturday when they travel to North Dakota to take on Minot State.