Game Leaders
Team Stats
Passing Yards
Rushing Yards
Turnovers
Time of Poss.
DULUTH, Minn. (csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica Saints football team defeated Martin Luther College 48-14 Saturday afternoon behind a stellar rushing performance that included five total touchdowns, including three from Jake Jensen.
The game started out very much in Martin Luther's favor with Knights chewing up much of the first quarter clock, topping off their first drive which lasted 6:19 with a four yard touchdown run by Matthew Olson to take a 7-0 lead with 8:41 remaining in the first.
The Saints did not have an answer until late in the first quarter when Jensen took a handoff from quarterback Tyler Harper 70 yards to the end zone to make the score 7-7 heading into the second quarter.
Jensen would add another touchdown run of four yards early in the second quarter to make the score 14-7 Saints with 10:52 to go in the first half.
The Saints passing attack got into the action just after the midway point in the second quarter when Harper connected with H-back Mitch O'Neil, who broke through numerous tackles, for a 12 yard touchdown pass which would put the Saints up by 14 points late in the second.
With time expiring just before halftime, the Knights would get a pass interference call in their favor setting them up with a first and goal at the CSS 2 yard line. After two failed rushes and a spike to stop the clock, a field goal attempt was blocked by senior defensive back Alec French, keeping the score at 21-7 heading into halftime.
Neither team got on the scoreboard in the third quarter until late when Jensen took a handoff 30 yards to punch in his third and final score of the day. A failed extra point made the score 27-7 St. Scholastica.
Less than a minute later, Harper would get into the rushing game carrying the ball 12 yards across the goal line to put the Saints up by 27 points 34-7.
Harper would add another touchdown pass to Josh Simmons to in the fourth quarter to make it 41-7 Saints.
Both teams would trade touchdowns late to end the game with Martin Luther (2-5, 2-4 UMAC) scoring via a Josh Rathje eight yard reception from quarterback Luke Rothe, and St. Scholastica scoring on a Jeremy Peterson eight yard rush to put the score at what would eventually be the final 48-14. This marks Peterson's first ever collegiate touchdown.
Defensively, Alec French tallied up a school record 21 total tackles on the day along with recording an interception and the blocked field goal, while the Saints as a team also broke a record averaging 13.8 yards per rush on the day.
Jensen would finish the day with 13 carries for 179 yards and three touchdowns, while teammate Chris Gassert only had two carries, but made the most of them totaling 71 yards with the longest carry being 39 yards.
Harper finished 11-for-15 passing for 174 yards and two touchdowns while Martin Luther quarterback Luke Rothe was 8-for-17 with 101 yards passing while throwing one touchdown and one interception.
The Saints (6-1, 6-0 UMAC) will next be in action next Saturday when they travel to Eureka College. That game is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. in Eureka, Ill. The game can be heard live on Saints Sports Net.