Box Score Box Score
FULTON, Mo. – The St. Scholastica football team closed out its third season on a four-game winning streak with a 34-28 victory on Saturday in a back-and-forth game at Westminster College.
The Saints finish the season 7-3 overall and 5-2 in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC). The UMAC record was good enough for a tie for second place in the league. CSS improved by three wins from the previous year for the second consecutive year.
The Blue Jays scored on their second possession of the game on a 5-yard touchdown reception by Brock Lundak. Westminster converted a fourth-down play earlier in the drive.
The Saints scored on the final play from scrimmage of the first quarter when #Alex Thiry# hit #Don Anderson# for a 36-yard touchdown. The extra-point failed so the score was 7-6 Westminster at the start of the second quarter.
CSS got great field position on its next possession and took advantage when #Travis Nehowig# punched it into the end zone from 20 yards out. The extra point made it 13-7 St. Scholastica.
The Blue Jays regained the lead with five minutes to go in the second quarter after a 6-yard touchdown run by Chris Starkey. The Saints responded with a 17-yard touchdown pass to Nehowig to make it 20-14 with 35 seconds left in the first half.
The Saints got on the board first in the second half as Thiry hit #Keegan O'Neill# for a 56-yard touchdown reception to extend the lead to 27-14.
The Blue Jays answered on the ensuing possession taking advantage of a broke play and scored on a 67-yard catch-and-run. The extra point would be blocked by #Christopher Doran# to make it 27-20 CSS. Westminster punched it into the end zone again at the start of the fourth quarter on a 1-yard plunge. The Blue Jays then converted a two-point conversion to regain the lead at 28-27 with 13 minutes to go.
The Saints responded on the next possession as Thiry hit #Jonny Bennett# for a 16-yard touchdown on third down. The extra point made it 34-28 with eight minutes to go.
On Westminster first play of the following possession, #JP Leary# intercepted the Blue Jays pass attempt. However, the Saints could not capitalize and turned it over on downs.
Westminster had one last chance with under a minute to go and the length of the field to go, but #Jordan Hanson# forced a fumble and the Saints'
Chas Lemon (Minneapolis, Minn./DeLaSalle HS) recovered to seal the 34-28 victory.
The Saints outgained the Blue Jays 345-321.
Alex Thiry (Cambridge, Minn./Braham HS (Minn.-Duluth)) threw for 264 yards and four touchdowns on 20-of-31 passing.
Jonny Bennett (Blackduck, Minn./Blackduck HS) had five catches for 64 yards and a score, while
Keegan O'Neill (Superior, Wis./Superior HS) had four receptions for 101 yards and a score.
Travis Nehowig (Maple Grove, Minn./Maple Grove HS) ran for 58 yards on 10 carries and
Jake Jensen (South St. Paul, Minn./South St. Paul HS), back from injury, ran for 31 yards on 14 carries.
#Scott Greening#, in his final game as a Saint, had six tackles, including one for a loss, and two pass breakups. #Alec French# and #Zack Dubanoski# also had six tackles each. #Dalton Hatfield# had a nice day punting, twice pinning the Blue Jays inside the 5-yard-line.
Next season, the UMAC will have an automatic qualifier to NCAA Division III playoffs for the winner of the regular season championship. For more information on St. Scholastica football be sure to check out csssaints.com.
