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Mid-States Football Association
LTU, SXU survive to win close contests in Week 2

LTU, SXU survive to win close contests in Week 2

Concordia opens the year with a Mideast League victory, while Lawrence Tech and Saint Xavier win the two closest games on the Week 2 slate in the MSFA.


 

#13 Saint Xavier 45, Saint Francis (Ind.) 28

Box Score | Recaps: SXU | USF

 
 

A back-and-forth battle in the first half, No. 13 Saint Xavier would use two scores late in the first half to earn a come-from-behind road win at Saint Francis (Ind.), 45-28.

The host Cougars (0-1) opened the game with two early scores, taking advantage of fumbles on the first two Saint Xavier drives. Garrett Yoon and Cam Gillentine each threw a TD pass, to Crosley MacEachen and Adjaye Dandridge for the 14-0 lead.

Saint Xavier (1-0) answered with a pair of Amari Venerable TD runs to close out the opening period and tying the game at 14-14. Saint Francis would reclaim the lead however, with an 11-yard TD reception by Derek Overbay, and a TD run from Eli Patchett.

Quarterback Aidan Voss brought Saint Xavier back again, with a 33-yard TD pass to Justin Pringle, followed by another scoring connection to Pringle as time expired in the first half.

Saint Xavier took the lead for the first time late in the third quarter, on a 35-yard TD pass from Voss to Kyle Quinn, and would hold Saint Francis off the scoreboard throughout the second half to secure the win.

Voss finished with 236 yards and three TDs, while Venerable led the SXU rushers with 136 yards and two scores on 16 carries. Pringle made four catches on the day, for two TDs and 79 yards.

Yoon tallied 136 yards in limited time for Saint Francis, while MacEachen made five receptions for 91 yards and a score.

Defensively, Ron Carroll made seven stops for Saint Xavier, while Nate Newcomber registered ten tackles and a pair of interceptions for Saint Francis.



Lawrence Tech 21, Ave Maria (Fla.) 19

Box Score | Recap: LTU

A pair of second-half TD drives was just enough to give Lawrence Tech their first win of the season, 21-19 at home over Ave Maria (Fla.).

After surrendering a TD drive near the end of the first quarter, the Blue Devils (1-1) bounced back with a 73-yard TD pass from Ricardo Marble, Jr. to D'Vaun Bentley, and the home team would take a 7-6 advantage.

Ave Maria (0-1) moved back in front with a 20-yard TD pass to close the first half, but Alex Osman's 80-yard TD pass to Jalen Wallace put the Blue Devils ahead 14-13.

A key fumble recovery in the fourth quarter gave Lawrence Tech a short field, and the Blue Devils capitalized with a TD pass from Osman to Jaden Rembert for a 21-13 advantage. Ave Maria would come back with a TD drive of their own on the next possession, but the two-point attempt would be no good and the Blue Devils would hold the lead.

The visitors would get one final chance at the ball, but a fumble on the punt return allowed John Webster to scoop up the loose ball and the Blue Devils would run out the clock to secure the win.

Osman and Marble combined for 279 passing yards and three TDs, as Jalen Wallace picked up 101 yards and a score on three receptions. Andrew Perkins made a game-high 15 tackles for the Blue Devils, and Devon Isaac registered two sacks along with a forced fumble and five tackles.


 

Concordia 54, Taylor 14

Box Score | Recap: CUAA | TU

Scoring 37 unanswered in the first half, Concordia cruised to a Mideast League opening win, defeating Taylor 54-14.

Gavin Brooks threw for 350 yards, most in the MSFA this season, connecting with wideout Seeger DeGayner for two TDs in the win. Two receivers finished with over 100 yards for the Cardinals (1-0, 1-0 Mideast), as Jordan Garcia collected 141 yards on nine catches, and DeGayner made eight grabs for 120 yards along with the two scores.

The Trojans (1-1, 0-1 Mideast) got on the board with Damon Hockett's TD run early in the second half, but a Concordia field goal and a pair of pick-sixes from LeRoy Watson and Casey Rauch ended the threat of a comeback from the visitors.

Braxton Ream led the Trojans with 60 yards on the ground, while Aven Jones finished with a team-high seven tackles for Taylor. Chase Maynard tallied nine tackles for the Cardinals, along with two tackles for loss and a half-sack.


#6 Marian 40, Judson 6

Box Score | Recap: MU | JU

No. 6 Marian would hold the host Eagles to just one first-quarter scoring drive, as the Knights opened the 2023 campaign with a 40-6 road win at Judson.

The Knights (1-0) opened with a 75-yard scoring drive capped with a ten-yard TD catch by Jalen Jennings, followed with a William Gibson TD run for the early 14-0 lead. Judson (0-1) answered with an 80-yard drive, as Aydan Edwards found Grand Alexander for an eight-yard TD pass to cut the deficit to 14-6 at the end of the first quarter.

A blocked punt from Joe Owens the was returned for a score started a run of 26 straight points throughout the rest of the game for Marian, as the defense held Judson to a 2-for-11 conversion rate on third down throughout the day.

Gibson finished with 151 yards and two TDs on 13 carries for the Knights, while Jennings made five catches for 108 yards and two TDs. Brandon Mackey rushed for 82 yards on 17 carries for the Eagles.

On the other side of the ball, Nate Frey made seven tackles for Marian, while Dakari Kenney finished the day with three sacks. Jay Callentine made eight stops to lead the Judson defense.


#24 St. Francis (Ill.) 63, Waldorf (Iowa) 7

Box Score | Recap: USF

Over 500 yards of total offense, including 221 combined passing and rushing yards from quarterback Sam Tumilty, allowed St. Francis (Ill.) to cruise to a season-opening 63-7 home win over Waldorf (Iowa).

Tumilty threw for four TDs, collecting 191 yards through the air, then rushed for 130 yards and four more TDs in the win, just one shy of the MSFA single-game record. Joey Tumilty led the receiving corps for the Saints (1-0), with 54 yards and two TDs on four catches.

Defensively, Matthew Perry and Tavion Wells led the way, with seven tackles apiece.


Olivet Nazarene 55, Madonna 0

Box Score | Recap: ONU

Cameron Crouch would throw for three TDs and run for another, as Olivet Nazarene opened the year with a dominant road win, 55-0 over Madonna in MSFA crossover play.

Three players would throw TD passes in the win for the Tigers (1-0), as Brendan Odam connected on two scores and Brendyn Agbayani threw one late in the third quarter. Olivet's rushing game was led by Aaron Bennett, who collected 114 yards on ten carries.

Defensively, the Tigers recorded four sacks and forced four takeaways, holding the Crusaders (0-1) to just over 200 yards of total offense. Brayden Cook and Abraham Flores-Cuen finished with a team-high seven tackles apiece, while Nick Viamaona had one and a half sacks in the win.

Will Fennema II led Madonna with eight tackles, while the offense was led by Dalen Cobb and Arthur Brantley IV, who combined for 91 rushing yards on 15 carries.


North Central (Ill.) 41, Roosevelt 7

Box Score | Recap: RU

The Lakers got off to a tough start on Saturday, as Roosevelt dropped the season opener to the defending NCAA Division III national champions North Central (Ill.), 41-7.

The Cardinals would hold Roosevelt (0-1) scoreless until a late-game TD pass from Carson Budke to Alex Tran got the Lakers on the board. Luke Wilson led the way for the Roosevelt attack, completing 16 of 26 passes for 107 yards. Defensively, Jaylen Olokun made nine tackles with one tackle for loss for the Lakers.


Wisconsin-Stout 35, St. Ambrose 7

Box Score | Recap: SAU

A pair of first-quarter TDs gave the visitors and early lead, and St. Ambrose were unable to rally the comeback in a 35-7 loss to NCAA Division III Wisconsin-Stout.

Yemi Ward's 24-yard TD catch from Joey Sprinkle early in the second quarter got the Bees (0-2) on the board, but four turnovers would slow the attack throughout the day. Ward finished with 61 yards on five catches, while Sprinkle and Tom Casey split time under center, combining for 134 yards through the air.

On the other side of the ball Micheal Robinson made a team-high eight tackles for the St. Ambrose defense, while Rolando Sepulveda finished with seven tackles and a sack.