Duluth, MN. - The St. Scholastica Football team returned to Walt Hunting Stadium this weekend for a game against the Carleton College Knights. The Saints were down one of their key linebackers and the Knights found themselves throwing one of their best games of the season. The Knights took the win 35-14.
How it Happened
First Quarter
The Saints began the game at Walt Hunting Stadium-Marv Heikkinen Field but found themselves on the defensive early. Carleton College kicked off, and after a strong return by the Saints, the drive stalled, leading to a punt. Carleton then took control, scoring a touchdown on their first offensive drive with a 37-yard pass from Jack Curtis to Tyler Dimond, putting the Knights up 7-0. The Saints struggled to find their rhythm as they went three-and-out, leading to another scoring opportunity for Carleton. The Knights capitalized with a second touchdown, bringing the score to 14-0. The first quarter ended with the Saints still seeking their first points.
Second Quarter
St. Scholastica regrouped and opened the second quarter with a strong drive. A combination of solid rushing by Nick Schlender (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater HS) and crucial completions from quarterback Donald West (St. Paul, Minn./Woodbury HS (Iowa Central)) set the stage for a touchdown run by Schlender from one yard out, bringing the score to 14-7. The Saints' defense tightened, but Carleton responded with a scoring drive of their own, extending the lead to 21-6. Despite the setback, the Saints remained determined, and Schlender's contributions continued to shine through. They managed to keep pace and ended the half down 21-7.
Third Quarter
The third quarter saw the Knights capitalize on their momentum. Carleton scored yet again with another touchdown pass from Curtis to Obono Ntense, increasing their lead to 28-7. The Saints struggled to answer back initially, but their persistence paid off when they connected on a touchdown pass from West to Burgess, narrowing the score to 35-14. The Saints showed flashes of resilience, but the Carleton defense managed to hold firm.
Fourth Quarter
As the fourth quarter unfolded, the Saints fought back with determination. Starting from their own 25-yard line, they orchestrated an impressive 11-play drive that showcased Joey Femali (Berlin, Wis./Berlin HS) and Jevon Williams's (Willmar, MN) rushing abilities. Femali's 21-yard run to the Carleton 30-yard line was a highlight, moving the chains and generating momentum.
Despite being down 35-7, the Saints persisted and ultimately reached the Carleton 1-yard line. Donald West (St. Paul, Minn./Woodbury HS (Iowa Central)) completed a crucial pass to Andrew Burgess for a touchdown, narrowing the gap to 35-14. Jacob Andrews (Owatonna, Minn./Medford HS) successfully converted the PAT, adding another point to the scoreboard.
Carleton, however, continued to respond defensively, stifling the Saints' efforts to create a more significant comeback. The final moments of the game saw the Saints pushing hard, but they couldn't close the gap further before the clock ran out.
Up Next
The Saints will look to bounce back in their next game against Saint John's University on Saturday, November 2 at 1 p.m. in Duluth, Minnesota, at Walt Hunting Stadium-Marv Heikkinen Field.
