Cpllegeville, Minn. – The Saint Scholastica football team traveled to Collegeville, Minn. today, Saturday, November 8, in a MIAC Conference match up. Today's conference game ended with the Johnnies taking the victory over the Saints, with a final score of 70-21.

How it Happened

First Half
Saint John's came out fast, but the Saints defense had several bright moments amid the heavy early workload. Austin Mundt (Deer River, MN/Deer River HS) led the charge with 11 total tackles, consistently stepping up in space to limit big gains. Ian Strusz (Albertville, MN/St. Michael-Albertville HS), Juan Lomas (Willmar, MN/Willmar HS), and Isaac Johnson (St. Paul, MN/St. Paul Highland Park HS) each added key stops, with Johnson breaking up a pass at the goal line to stall momentum.

On special teams, Andrew Burgess and Stephan Jackson (Minneapolis, MN/Minneapolis North HS) provided steady kickoff returns, repeatedly giving the Saints workable field position. Meanwhile, punter Jacob Andrews (Owatonna, MN/Medford HS) delivered seven kicks for 251 yards, flipping the field multiple times to help the defense reset.

Third Quarter 
Just seconds into the third quarter, Nathan Gustafson (Hibbing, MN/Hibbing HS) recovered a fumble on the opening kickoff, setting up the Saints offense at the SJU 35. Quarterback Donald West (St. Paul, MN/Woodbury HS) wasted no time, hitting Andrew Burgess deep for a 30-yard touchdown, giving the Saints instant energy and trimming the margin to 49–7.

After a Johnnie score, the Saints answered again. Beginning at their own 31, West engineered a 6-play, 69-yard drive. A 10-yard burst from Christian Hoveland (Lake Elmo, MN/Stillwater HS), a crucial grab by Nathan Behrens (Watertown, MN/Watertown-Mayer HS), and a strong push from the offensive line set the tone. West then found Teagen Lubinski (Crookston, MN/Crookston HS) streaking down the right side for a 27-yard touchdown, cutting the deficit to 56–14 and giving the Saints two explosive TDs in the quarter.

The defense kept battling, with Charlie Graske (Oakdale, MN/Tartan HS) registering multiple quarterback hurries and Brett Swystun (Mahtomedi, MN/Mahtomedi HS) breaking into the backfield to help slow the Johnnie attack.

Fourth Quarter
St. Scholastica kept the pressure on early in the fourth quarter. Starting at the SJU 10, the Saints marched methodically with contributions from Jackson, Behrens, and West. On 2nd-and-5, West fired a strike to Nathan Behrens (Watertown, MN/Watertown-Mayer HS) at the goal line for a 5-yard touchdown, capping a 12-play, 82-yard drive filled with grit and consistency.

That score brought the Saints to 21 points and marked their third touchdown in a 20-minute span, a testament to their offensive adjustments and determination.

Defensively, the Saints continued to swarm the ball. Jeremiah Botts (Houston, TX/Spring Woods HS) forced a fumble, Stockert, Miller, and Gustafson added pass breakups, and the young defensive front gained valuable reps, pushing through the cold conditions to finish strong.

What's Next
The Saints (3-6, 2-6 MIAC) will host their final game of the season, celebrating senior day, against the Royals (9-0, 8-0 MIAC) Saturday, November 15. The Saints final home game is scheduled for 1 pm.