Late Rally Lifts Saints

NSO – NEWS RELEASE

DULUTH, Minn. (csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica football team trailed 24-14 with less than seven minutes to play in fourth quarter, but scored two touchdowns in the final 6:17 to defeat the University of Northwestern 28-24 Saturday night in a battle of unbeatens at Public Schools Stadium.

For much of the game, Northwestern controlled the play. At halftime the Eagles were doubling-up the Saints in total yards (346-172). At the end of the third quarter, the Eagles had racked up 447 yards of total offense.

The Eagles took an early lead on their first possession of the game, going 77 yards in only six plays to go up 7-0. CSS responded on the ensuing possession going 80 yards in seven plays. Quarterback Tyler Harper (Minneapolis, Minn./DeLaSalle HS) kept it himself and scored from seven yards out to tie the game at 7-7.

However, on the second play of the next Northwestern possession Jacob Fletcher found Caleb Couwenhoven for a 71-yard TD connection as the Eagles went back in front 14-7. After a CSS punt, it looked like the Eagles were going to go up 21-7, but Xavier Rhodes (South St. Paul, Minn./South St. Paul HS) picked off a Northwestern pass in the end zone on third-and-goal.

Preston Robinson (Northfield, Minn./Northfield HS) had a 30-yard run on the next play from scrimmage and the momentum seemed to be on CSS’ side. Unfortunately on the following play, a pass would be ruled a backwards lateral and Northwestern took over at midfield.

The Eagles capitalized this time when running back Zac Cash fumbled inside the five and the ball was picked up by lineman TJ Palme in the end zone to make it 21-7.

CSS responded with a big drive on their subsequent possession, going 62 yards on seven plays, capped off by a Robinson one-yard touchdown plunge to make it 21-14.

After a Brady Fish (Shakopee, Minn./Shakopee HS ) interception the Saints were looking for more when Harper found Andrew Smith (Rogers, Minn./Rogers HS) for 26-yard completion on 4th-and-6 down to the Northwestern one-yard-line. But a holding penalty on the play, brought it back and the Saints couldn’t do anything with the drive as the halftime score was 21-14.

A Northwestern field goal extended the lead to 24-14 with three minutes left in the third quarter. Nothing seemed to be going CSS’ way offensively in the second half as the first four possessions of the half went punt, punt, interception, fumble.

The CSS defense did enough to keep the Saints in it, holding the Eagles on downs on 4^th-and-5 at the CSS 23 with a little over eight minutes left in the game.

From its own 23, Harper found Shane Finnegan (Woodbury, Minn./Hill-Murray HS) for 27 yards and then hit Spencer Specht (Ramsey, Minn./Anoka HS) who broke a tackle and went 42 yards down the Northwestern 9-yard-line. After a false start and a holding penalty, Harper found Finnegan open in the seam for a 20-yard TD pass to make it 24-21 with 6:17 to go.

CSS then tried an onside kick that was almost recovered by the Saints, but the ball could not be possessed in play and rolled out of bounds. It did not matter though as Northwestern went three-and-out.

With St. Scholastica starting on its own 31-yard-line with 4:59 to play, Harper found Finnegan again for 23 yards to get the drive going. Harper and Robinson then rushed for the next 31 yards to get the Saints down to the Northwestern 15-yard-line. An Eagle pass interference penalty setup the Saints at first-and-goal at the four. Robinson would get the call and find the end zone to give CSS its first lead of the game with 2:12 remaining.

The game was far from over, however, as Northwestern completed four pass plays of over 12 yards to march the ball to the CSS red zone with a minute to play. Following a CSS timeout, a Northwestern pass would deflected into the air and intercepted by Rhodes inside the St. Scholastica 10-yard-line to seal the come-from-behind victory.

Harper finished the game 11-of-22 for 245 yards with one passing and one rushing TD. Robinson had 111 yards on 19 carries and two scores. Finnegan had five receptions for 110 yards and a score. Alex Mangan (Eagan, Minn./Eagan HS) and Paul Olson (Minneapolis, Minn./DeLaSalle HS) each had 11 tackles to lead the CSS defense. Blake Cedarleaf (Mahtomedi, Minn./Mahtomedi HS) and Mason Bloomquist (Owatonna, Minn./Owatonna HS ) also had 10 tackles each.

Northwestern quarterback Jacob Fletcher threw for 302 yards on 18-of-32 passing, but did have three interceptions. Couwenhoven had seven receptions for 185 yards. Chris Simon-Wallace and Zac Cash both went over 100 yards on the ground, combining for 210 yards.

The Saints (5-0, 4-0 UMAC) will be on the road for the next two weeks, starting with MacMurray College (Ill.) next Saturday in Jacksonville, Illinois. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.