COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – The Saint John's offense outlasted the defense by a 75-67 score in the first Red and White Spring Game on Friday, May 10, at Clemens Stadium in Collegeville.
The game's first three 15-minute quarters were played like a normal game, though quarterbacks were off-limits and there were no returns on kickoffs or punts.
The White team (offense) earned points via traditional scoring, plus a single point for each first down and another two points for any play that gained 15 yards or more. The Red team (defense), meanwhile, accrued points for the following stats: defensive touchdown (six points), quarterback sack (touch play, four points), forced turnover (three points), fourth-down stop (two points), three-and-out (one point) and a tackle for loss (one point).
At the end of the first half, two kickers attempted three field goals from the 30-yard line and three more from the 40-yard line. The 15 points from the five made field goals were credited to the SJU defense (Red), giving them a 42-40 lead at the half.
The “fourth quarter” featured feature goal-line situations in which the offense had three drives, a total of 12 plays, starting on the nine-yard line. The two squads then cut down to 7-on-7 for 20 plays and engaged in three scored overtime sessions starting on the 25-yard line (a limit of 21 plays).
Junior Johnny Benson (Becker, Minn.) connected with sophomore Josh Bungum (Paynesville, Minn.) for a two-yard touchdown to end the first over time series, but the defense held SJU White (Offense) to a turnover on downs on the second series, giving SJU Red a 67-66 lead.
Sophomore Nick Martin (Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata) ended the intersquad scrimmage with a six-yard touchdown pass to senior Blake Belland (Chaska, Minn.), their second end-zone connection of the evening, to give SJU White a 75-67 win.
Martin ended regulation 13 of 25 passing for 191 yards. His nine-yard touchdown pass to Belland ended the “game” portion with 5:04 remaining in the third quarter. Sophomore Peter Vakulskas (Chaska, Minn./Holy Family Catholic) led the Johnnies' ground game with 45 yards on eight carries and a touchdown.
Senior Ben Krebsbach (Plymouth, Minn./Benilde-St. Margaret's) caught six passes for 71 yards, while junior J.T. Ford (Stevens Point, Wis.) tallied six receptions for 40 yards. Ford also averaged 42.3 yards on three punts.
Senior Darryl Williams (Hawthorne, Calif./Verbum Dei) led SJU Red with seven tackles (six solo). Ten different Johnnies recorded a tackle for loss, including a sack each from senior Jay Roane (Chanhassen, Minn./Holy Family Catholic) and juniors Jack Kleason (Eagan, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall) and Bruce London (Nisswa, Minn./Brainerd).
Junior Andrew Norri (Virginia, Minn.) put the defense on the scoreboard the traditional way with a 35-yard interception return for a touchdown with 9:18 left in the third quarter. Sophomores Sam Scoblic (Lester Prairie, Minn./Lester Prairie-Holy Trinity) and Trevor Warner (Murrieta, Calif./Vista Murrieta) added an interception each. Warner also blocked a field-goal attempt in the first quarter.
The Johnnies are scheduled to scrimmage the Regina Thunder, a member of the Canadian Junior Football League, in Saskatchewan on Saturday, May 18. The first scrimmage is scheduled for 9-11 a.m. local time, followed by an evening session from 6-8 p.m.
