Notables
-Start of game delayed 55 minutes due to lightning
-Time of possession: Crown-39:18, CSS-20:42
-First game of the year at Public Schools Stadium
-CSS remains perfect in the red zone on the year.

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DULUTH, Minn. (csssaints.com) – After a delay to the start of the game due to lightning, the St. Scholastica football team needed a defensive stop late to hold off a Crown College rally as it hung on for the 35-32 Homecoming victory at Public Schools Stadium.
 
How it Happened
The Saints took the opening possession down the field and capped it off with a Zach Edwards (St. Paul, Minn./Henry Sibley HS) to Mitchell Adrian (Altoona, Wis./Altoona HS) 17-yard touchdown. The point-after would be blocked and returned back the other way by Junior Doe make the score 6-2.
 
The Storm (1-2, 0-1 UMAC) then took its opening possession down the field, but had to settle for a 23-yard field goal to give the game an odd score of 6-5. After CSS was forced to punt, Crown went three-and-out and was also forced into a punting situation. The punt snap would go well over the punter's head and roll toward the end zone, the punter would pick it up and throw it away, but would be called for intentional grounding at the one-yard line. The Saints would take over at that spot and Edwards would find Adrian again to make it 12-5. Crown blocked another PAT, but was off-sides on the play. CSS then decided to go for the two-point conversion and was successful to make it 14-5.
 
The Storm fumbled the ensuing kickoff and the Saints took advantage on an Edwards sneak into the end zone early in the second quarter to extend the margin to 21-5. The game looked like it was getting away from Crown as CSS also scored on its next possession with Edwards finding Eddie Lee (Maple Grove, Minn./Maple Grove HS) for a 10-yard score to make it 28-5 with 11 remaining in the second quarter.
 
The Storm found the end zone for the first time in the contest with eight minutes remaining before halftime. The PAT would fail to make it 28-11. Later in the quarter, the Strom would miss a 25-yard field, which would loom large as the score at the break was 28-11.
 
Crown got the ball first in the second half and broke off a 68-yard TD run to make it 28-18. Later in the quarter, a key turn of events took place with less than four minutes to go as the Storm had a 75-yard touchdown called back due to a penalty. They would be forced to punt and the Saints had good field position. CSS capitalized on that field position as Edwards found Lee for a 3-yard score to make it 35-18 with two minutes remaining in the third quarter.
 
The Saints punted 23 seconds into the four quarter. Crown proceeded to go 64 yards on 12 plays and found the end zone on a 10-yard TD reception to make it 35-25 with eight minutes remaining. After CSS went three-and-out, Crown went down the field again and made things really interesting on a 13-yard TD reception to make it 35-32 with four minutes to go.
 
St. Scholastica would recover an on-side kick and made one first down, but would be forced to punt. Eric Soderberg (Cohasset, Minn./Grand Rapids HS) would do his job and pin the Storm at their own 1-yard-line with 1:36 remaining. Riding its momentum, the Crown offense moved the ball to the St. Scholastica 35-yard-line. Facing a fourth down, senior Cal Germain (Osceola, Wis./Osceola HS) would sack the Crown quarterback to seal the win for the Saints.
 
Top Performers for the Saints
Edwards threw for 231 yards and four touchdowns. Lee had eight receptions for 78 yards and two scores.
 
Freshman Chase Kleppe (Orr, Minn./North Woods HS) led the defense with 12 tackles. Germain had two sacks in the game.
 
Top Performers for the Opponents
Jared Gilmore threw for 216 yards and three touchdowns. Avory Caruthers ran for 178 yards and one score. Janaire Smith had three TD receptions, while Cole Mistretta had eight receptions for 93 yards.
 
Quis Icon led the defense with nine tackles, including three for a loss.
 
Up Next
The Saints (3-0, 1-0 UMAC) hit the road for the first time this season when they make the trek to Westminster College (Mo.) next Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for noon.