GAME NOTES
DULUTH, Minn. (
csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica football team welcomes Westminster College (Mo.) for its home opener Saturday at Public Schools Stadium.
Where:
Public School Stadium – Duluth, Minn.
When:
Saturday at Noon
Watch: https://csssaints.com/watch/?Live=212
Stats: https://csssaints.com/sidearmstats/football/summary
Social Media:
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/CSSSAINTSFB
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/css.football
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/StScholasticaFootball
St. Scholastica Saints
2018 Stats
Record: 1-1, 1-0 UMAC
Upper Midwest Athletic Conference: Standings | Stats
What You Need To Know about the Saints:
-The Saints rebounded after losing the season opener to Mayville State University (N.D.) to defeat Crown College 46-20 to open the conference schedule.
-The Saints are looking to go 2-0 in UMAC play for the eighth straight season.
-CSS has won its last five home openers.
-The Saints have a chance to have a big day in the air on Saturday as they face a Westmister team that gives up 250 YPG.
-Last week, quarterback
Zach Edwards (St. Paul, Minn./Henry Sibley HS) set a program record with 29 completions and became the fifth player in program history to record over 200 career completions.
-
Aaron Olson (Esko, Minn./Esko HS) looks to continue his UMAC touchdown streak and extend it to 18 games, in 2017 he had a 90-yard receiving touchdown against Westminster.
-Olson is 10 receptions shy of 100 for his career and is one touchdown shy of tying
Hunter Thompson (Buffalo, Minn./Buffalo HS) program record of 30 career touchdowns.
-Senior kicker
Donovan Blatz (Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View HS) became the second player in program history to record at least 100 PATs.
Players to Watch on Offense:
-Junior wide receiver
Eddie Lee (Maple Grove, Minn./Maple Grove HS) – Lee had two receiving touchdowns Saturday against Crown, he had 86 yards on seven catches. It was his first career multi-touchdown game.
-Junior quarterback
Zach Edwards (St. Paul, Minn./Henry Sibley HS) – Edwards was 11-of-24 last season against Westminster with 325 yards and three touchdowns. Edwards ranks ninth in NCAA Division III in passing yards per game and is the reigning UMAC Offensive Player of the Week.
-Running back
Jeff LeMay (Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View HS) – LeMay recorded 152 all-purpose yards in last week's win. He has recorded at least 100 all-purpose yards in each of the first two games.
Players to Watch on Defense/Special Teams:
-Junior linebacker
Jonathan Senger (Buffalo, Minn./Buffalo HS) – Senger recorded 10 total tackles last year in the matchup with the Blue Jays.
-Junior defensive back
Eric Soderberg (Cohasset, Minn./Grand Rapids HS) – Soderberg intercepted Crown's quarterback Michael Gross and returned it for a touchdown last week, but the touchdown was wiped out by a penalty
-Senior defensive lineman
Frank Cerar (Plainview, Minn./Plainview-Elgin-Millville HS) – Cerar recorded two of the three sacks the Saints had against the Storm last week.
What You Need to Know about the Blue Jays:
Record: 1-1, 1-0 UMAC
-The Blue Jays dropped their opener to Millsaps College (Miss.), but rebounded nicely against Iowa Wesleyan University 35-10 to open conference play.
-The Blue Jays' defense was busy Saturday as they totaled six turnovers against Iowa Wesleyan, with two interceptions and four fumble recoveries.
-Senior quarterback Trent White is in his third season as a starter, and played in four games his freshman season, has over 4,000 yards and 29 touchdowns in his career.
-White ranks second in the conference in rushing at 88.0 yards per game and running back Kalyn Davis ranks third at 85.0 yards per game.
-Senior Anthony Washington had the two interceptions for Westminster last Saturday. He leads the conference with five passes defended on the year. Watch for him on Saturday as CSS likes to put the ball in the air.
-Westminster has yet to lose a fumble this season.
-Both the Saints and Blue Jays rank at the bottom of the conference in opponent third down conversions. Opponents convert 44 percent of third downs against both CSS and Westminster.
Series Record: CSS leads 8-0
(Last Meeting: 48-18 CSS – 9/16/2017)
Series History: The Saints have yet to lose to Westminster in program history, 2016 was the closest call for the Saints, squeezing out a victory in Fulton, Missouri 21-20. The Blue Jays were also the opponent for St. Scholastica's home opener last season as the Saints won 48-18 at Public Schools Stadium. CSS has scored at least 41 points in each of the last three visits by Westminster.
Looking Ahead: The Saints go back on the road at Martin Luther College on Saturday, September 29. Kickoff is at 1 p.m.
