Box Score

Duluth, MN. – The Saint Scholastica football team opened their season today, Saturday, September 14, at home, versus the Regents of Rockford University. Striding into overtime, the Regents offense was able to connect, and their defense was able to contain, giving the Saints their first loss on the season. 

With the Regents' defense able to effectively cease any significant St Scholastica movement, our offense led by Donald West (St. Paul, Minn./Woodbury HS (Iowa Central)), was sharp enough to find gaps, and play the short game against the Regents. A play style today was not only enough to keep us in the fight but force an overtime. 

How it Happened

The Saints opened the scoring for the game with a 16-yard field goal, courtesy of Jacob Andrews (Owatonna, Minn./Medford HS). It would only take the Regents eight minutes to answer the Saints' field goal, with a touchdown. The second quarter appeared to be the regents, ending with a score of 3-6 in favor of the visitors. 

It would be the Saints to start things off in the third quarter, taking the lead with their own touchdown at the 7:04 mark, brought in by Jevon Williams (Willmar, MN). The Saints stood on a 10-7 lead following that touchdown with little time remaining in the third. Following a series of flags from both teams, Rockford found themselves within field goal range, and with a 21-yard boot, the Regents tied the game, 10-10. 

The Regents immediately opened things up in the fourth, running a two-yard-touchdown just 3:14 into the final quarter. Following that drive, both teams found a rhythm and stuck with it, able to read each other, it would take nearly eight minutes until the next touchdown, rung in, once again by Rockford. All hope seemed lost with the Regents taking a 10-24 lead, with only 5:30 remaining in regulation. It was not. The Saints were quick to bite back, with Simon Randorf (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS) registering a 42-yard touchdown, followed by an extra point courtesy of Andrews. The Saints within just seven now locked down on defense and refused to let another touchdown in. They would successfully halt the Regents and turn the ball over on downs on the Rockford 24-yard line. With less than a minute remaining in the game, West finds Andrew Burgess II (Tampa, Fla./Cypress Creek HS) for a seven-yard touchdown. Effectively forcing overtime. 

Rockford began the overtime period with possession, and in seven plays, the Regents would score a touchdown, and get the extra point kick, the Saints then had possession to try and match the Regents once again to force a second overtime. The Saints had a total of four drives, on fourth and five, the Saints scattered, running their routes. With a suffocating defense, the Saints missed the throw, costing them the game. With that, the Regents would take the 24-31 victory over the Saints. 

What's next

The Saint Scholastica football team (0-1, 0-0 MIAC) will travel to St. Bonifacius, Minn. to play Crown College (0-1, 0-0 UMAC), in their first road game of the season, on Saturday, September 21. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CST.