Notables
-Loss ends CSS' 26-game UMAC road winning streak
-First time the Saints have lost back-to-back UMAC games since 2009
-Total Offensive Yards: CSS - 360, UMM - 255
-First game of the last six where Saints have allowed first quarter points
-Game saw eight turnovers - seven by CSS

MORRIS, Minn. - (csssaints.com) The St. Scholastica football team was looking to bounce back after a loss to the University of Northwestern last weekend, but an abundance of injuries within the starting lineup made that difficult on Saturday when the team dropped its second consecutive Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) game to the University of Minnesota Morris, with a final score of 34-24.

Slow Start
The Saints had it tough from the beginning, when on the first play of the game, the Cougars forced a fumble and recovered it. The two teams then went back and forth, both struggling to earn even a first down, until a 37 yard Donnie Mavencamp pass found Evan Guffey in the end zone for the Cougars with 5:05 left in the first quarter. The next drive for the Saints would end in another turnover, this time an interception in the end zone. A few plays later, the Mavencamp-Guffey duo completed another pass for a Cougars touchdown, making the score 14-0 with three and a half minutes left in the first quarter. After a 41 yard drive, the Cougars jumped in front of another CSS pass for an interception,  the third Saints turnover of the first quarter.

To start the second quarter, a bad bounce off a Cougars punt caught a Saints player in leg. The Cougars recovered the live ball and began a 30 yard drive that would end in a UMM touchdown, making the score 21-0 after only five minutes of the quarter had progressed. The Saints offense got a few good things happening for it on its next drive, which went for almost 40 yards. An incomplete pass on 4th down gave the ball back to UMM, but two plays later, CSS forced a fumble, recovered by Trevor Schwartz (Rogers, Minn./Rogers HS), and put the Saints in excellent scoring position. They capitalized on the opportunity and Eric Soderberg (Grand Rapids, Minn./Grand Rapids HS) hit Aaron Olson (Esko, Minn./Esko HS) in the end zone with a 13 yard pass. Donovan Blatz (Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View HS), reliable as always, booted the extra point kick between the uprights, which put the score at 21-7. The Cougars would get one more interception in the quarter, but would not find the end zone before half time. 

A Continued Battle
The third quarter didn't see its first scoring play until half of the 15 minutes had passed, when the Cougars completed another touchdown pass, pushing their lead out to three touchdowns once more. The Saints, still unable to catch a break, turned the ball over on the next play on a fumble. The CSS defense held the Cougars to a field goal after the fumble recovery, which made the score 31-7 with close to six minutes left until the fourth quarter. The Saints put more points on the board with three and a half minutes left in the quarter when a 22 yard pass from Zach Edwards (West St. Paul, Minn./Henry Sibley HS) gave Olson his second TD reception of the game. Edwards then found Olson again for a successful 2-point conversion, bringing to the score to 31-15. 

The final quarter of the game opened with another Cougar field goal, but it would be the last points scored by UMM. The Saints would then go on a 77 yard drive, ending in a third TD reception for Olson. This brought the score to 34-22 with close to nine minutes left. Blatz came in on the kickoff and the Saints recovered his onside kick, giving the team a good boost for the last few minutes of the game. It was not quite enough to turn the game around, though. The Saints managed to gain two points when Mason Bloomquist (Owatonna, Minn./Owatonna HS ) sacked Mavencamp for a Cougar safety, but that play would be the last scoring change of the game, which ended with a score of 34-24 in favor of UMM.

Notable Performances
Edwards had a career best seven completions for 115 yards and tallied 36 rushing yards. Ben Buthe (New Prague, Minn./New Prague HS) had 147 rushing yards in 24 carries, a season high. Olson collected 101 receiving yards on six receptions, and matched a season high of three touchdown receptions. On defense, Jake Zoellick (Sarona, Wis./Rice Lake HS) led the way with 10 tackles. Kenneth Jinkins (Eagan, Minn./Henry Sibley HS) had eight, and August Marleau (Deer River, Minn./Deer River HS) was behind him with six. 

For the Cougars, Mavencamp had 17 completions for 183 passing yards. Guffey pulled in 97 receiving yards on seven receptions with two touchdowns. Sergio Natividad had 10 tackles on the day.

Up Next
The Saints football team is on the road again next week when they take on Westminster College  (Mo). Kickoff is set for 12 p.m in Fulton, Missouri.