Notables
-Kurt Ramler's first game as St. Scholastica Head Coach
-For the first time in program history the Saints won when being out-gained. (0-20 prior to today)
-Ripon missed two extra points
-Chris Gassert averaged 7.7 yards per carry
-The Saints threw for only 38 yards in the second half
-CSS is 3-0 all-time vs. the Midwest Conference
DULUTH, Minn. (csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica football team scored 21 points in the second quarter and needed a late defensive stop to hold off Ripon College (Wis.) 28-27 to open the Kurt Ramler era at CSS on Saturday at Public Schools Stadium.
The final four minutes of the first half proved to be pivotal in the outcome. With the Saints holding a 14-13 lead, The Red Hawks drove to the CSS 14-yard-line and lined up for a field goal that missed wide to the right. CSS responded by moving right down the field, including four consecutive first down plays. The drive was capped off on a Tyler Harper to Nick Murphy 14-yard TD reception to make it 21-13.
On the ensuing kickoff, kicker Mike Theismann pooched it to the Ripon 32-yard-line where a Red Hawk was unable to get on top of the ball and it was eventually recovered by CSS's Luke Scharrer. After the Saints converted a fourth-and-7, Harper found Jason Kazlaukas in the front corner of the end zone to make it 28-13 with 33 seconds left in the half.
Harper was 12-of-20 for 131 yards and three touchdowns in the first half. His first TD pass was to Andrew Smith from 14 yards out in the first quarter. He also ran nine times for 32 yards. Running back Chris Gassert had eight carries for 67 yards in the first half, including a 5-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter.
The second half saw the Saints offense shutout. Dropped passes and penalties hurt the Saints in the half. Ripon took the opening possession of the second half and drove right down the field, going 72 yards on 13 plays. The drive was capped off on a Stephen Covalt 1-yard sneak. The extra point attempt would be blocked making it 28-19.
On the next Red Hawks possession, they drove it to the CSS 16-yard-line before a Brady Fish rush caused an intentional grounding penalty. Ripon would eventually turnover on downs.
It would be a 14-play, 83-yard drive at the start of the fourth quarter that got Ripon even closer. Tom Sawyer ran it in from 13 yards out to make it 28-25 with 8:33 to play. The Red Hawks converted the two-point conversion to make it 28-27.
After both teams traded punts, CSS would be intercepted with less than two minutes remaining and Ripon had a chance starting around midfield. The CSS defense would step up, however, and forced Ripon into a fourth-and-4. On the play, good coverage caused Covalt to scramble and he would eventually be forced out of bounds by Mitch Ejnik short of the line to gain as the Saints hung for the 28-27 victory.
Ripon out-gained St. Scholastica 372-311, meaning for the first time in program history the Saints won game when they did not lead in total offense (0-20 prior to today). Gassert finished with 108 yards on 14 carries. That averages to 7.7 yards per attempt. Murphy led the receivers with four receptions for 38 yards.
Alex Mangan had a big day for the CSS defense. He led the team with 13 tackles, including 3.5 for a loss. Paul Olson and Fish each added 11 tackles and Jared Moran finished with 10 tackles.
Ripon's Tom Sawyer recorded 165 yards of total offense for the Red Hawks. Covalt was 10-of-16 for 156 yards and one score, including one for 70 yards to Sawyer in the second quarter.
The Saints will open Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) action next Saturday when it travels to face Iowa Wesleyan University at 1 p.m.