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DULUTH, Minn. – The St. Scholastica football team won its first-ever football game this afternoon, downing Trinity Bible College (N.D) 47-8 at Public Schools Stadium.

The Saints (1-5), whom have played well all season, finally picked up that win that has evaded them this season. CSS racked up some big stats on the day with 613 yards of total offense. The Saints ran the ball 51 times for 255 yards and threw for 358 yards. The Saints averaged 7.6 yards per play.

After the Saints were stopped on fourth down at the Trinity Bible (1-6) 20-yard-line on their first possession, the CSS defense would create a turnover as #Phil DesMarais# (So.-Duluth, Minn./Denfeld) forced a fumble around midfield and the ball was recovered by #Mike Evans# (Fr.-Andover, Minn./St. Francis). The Saints then took the ball down the field thanks to 23 yards on the ground from #Christopher Henagin# (Jr.-Cloquet, Minn.), who eventually punched it in from three yards out to make the score 7-0.

After a Lions punt, the Saints struck again when #Jake Olson# (Fr.-Esko, Minn.) connected with #Mike VanMassenhove# (So.-Superior, Wis.) for a 44-yard touchdown pass to make the score 14-0. VanMassenhove had a big day for the Saints as he had 10 catches for 243 yards and three touchdowns.

On the fourth play of the second quarter, Olson connected with VanMassenhove again, this time on a play action pass for 72 yards to make the score 21-0. Olson hooked up VanMassenhove for a third time on the next possession for a 4-yard touchdown pass to make the score 28-0. That would be the score at the half.

St. Scholastica had 20 first downs in the half, while limiting Trinity Bible to just move the chains twice. The Saints out-gained the Lions 417-61 in the half.

Trinity Bible came out no huddle to start the second half and it was effective as it drove down the field and scored on a 29-yard touchdown pass on third-and-long. After the two-point conversion the score was 28-8. After #Jeff Jennings# (So.-Harris, Minn./Rush City) partially blocked a Trinity Bible punt, CSS extended the lead when Jake Olson (Esko, Minn./Esko HS) threw his fourth touchdown pass of the day, this time to #Jonathan Bennett# (Fr.-Blackduck, Minn.) to extend the lead to 35-8.

Henagin scored his second touchdown of the afternoon, a two-yard option run, on the next possession to make the score 41-8. St. Scholastica followed that with its best drive of the afternoon, going 88 yards on 19 plays and taking up 12:01. The drive was capped off on a touchdown strike from back-up quarterback #Alex Thiry# (So.-Cambridge, Minn./Braham) to #Harden Henry# (Fr.-Duluth, Minn./Central) to make the score 47-8. That is how the game ended as players gave Head Coach Greg Carlson the Gatorade bath and celebrated their first win as a program.

Jake Olson (Esko, Minn./Esko HS) threw for 324 yards on 16-of-27 passing and four touchdowns. Backup Alex Thiry (Cambridge, Minn./Braham HS (Minn.-Duluth)) was 3-for-3 for 34 yards and a touchdown. Christopher Henagin (Cloquet, Minn./Fond du Lac) rushed for 181 yards on 27 carries and two scores. Phil DesMarais (Duluth, Minn./Denfeld HS), #James Leary# (Fr.-Inver Grove Heights, Minn./South St. Paul), and #Chris Rehkamp# (Jr.-Nevis, Minn./Park) all had five tackles to lead the Saints defense.

The Saints will be at the Metrodome on Friday when they will take part in Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Dome Day. The Saints will face Martin Luther College at 4 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults, $7 for students with I.D., $5 for children ages 5-11, and kids under five get in free.