Box Score

Post-Game Interviews:
-Martin, Sura & Hanson (0:45)

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – The nationally-ranked Saint John's University football team scored touchdowns on four of its five first-half possessions en route to a 52-3 win over Carleton on a beautiful Saturday afternoon, Oct. 25, as part of Family Weekend in Collegeville.

Junior quarterback Nick Martin (Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata) ran for three touchdowns in the first half and junior running back Sam Sura (South St. Paul, Minn.) recorded his sixth 100-yard rushing performance of the season with an even 100 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries. Sura played the first two series of the second half and scored his second touchdown of the day following a blocked punt from freshman linebacker Daerek Wilson (San Antonio, Texas/Reagan) on Carleton's first possession after halftime. 

Sura broke SJU's record for rushing yards in a regular season, previously held by Matt Malmberg (1,102 in 1994), and now has 1,180 yards and 12 rushing touchdowns in seven games this fall. Tim Schmitz '77 owns the overall season record with 1,475 in 1976 (11 games). The six 100-yard rushing games are also the most by a Johnnie in a season since Schmitz ran for six in both 1976 and 1977.

No. 21 SJU (6-1, 4-1) took the opening kickoff and went 64 yards on five plays, ending on Martin's first touchdown of the game from 11 yards out. The Johnnies took advantage of a Carleton (1-7, 0-6 MIAC) fumble on its own 34-yard line on the ensuing possession and scored four plays later on a four-yard touchdown run from Martin with 9:41 left in the first quarter.

The Johnnies added a pair of rushing touchdowns in the second quarter, a six-yard score from Sura and a 10-yarder from Martin, to take a 28-3 lead into halftime.

Sophomore kicker Alexi Johnson (Shakopee, Minn.) extended the lead to 38-3 with a 29-yard field goal, his seventh of the season, in the third quarter.

Senior linebacker Bruce London (Nisswa, Minn./Brainerd), turned fullback, caught a seven-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Johnny Benson (Becker, Minn.) early in the fourth quarter, and freshman running back Dusty Krueger (Lake Elmo, Minn./Hill-Murray) ended the scoring with his first collegiate touchdown, a 16-yard scamper with 3:14 remaining.

SJU's defense did the rest by holding the Knights to 47 yards on 32 plays in the second half. Carleton was forced into 10 third-and-long (third-and-seven or further) situations in the game, including eight in the second half. The Johnnies collected 10 tackles for a loss and four sacks.

Sophomore linebacker Carter Hanson (Blue Earth, Minn.) led the Johnnies with 10 tackles, including two for a loss, while adding a sack and a forced fumble.

Martin ended the day four of five passing for 45 yards and added 23 yards and the three scores on six carries. Benson went seven of 11 for 99 yards through the air. Sophomore running back Antoine Taylor (Sherman Oaks, Calif./North Hollywood) added 77 yards on eight carries and sophomore wide receiver Dan Harrington (Frisco, Texas/Wakeland) caught three passes for 68 yards.

The Johnnies travel to face Augsburg for a 1 p.m. contest next Saturday, Nov. 1, at Edor Nelson Field in Minneapolis.

Notes: SJU scored points on all eight of its trips to the red zone on the day…the Johnnies entered the game ranked eighth out of 242 NCAA Division III schools at 94.4 percent (17-for-18) in the red zone…Wilson's blocked punt is the first for SJU since Nov. 3, 2012, at Hamline (current assistant coach John Gans '13)…Martin also ran for three touchdowns as a freshman against Carleton on Oct. 13, 2012, in Collegeville (a 51-14 SJU win)...the three rushing touchdowns on Saturday enabled Martin to move into third in school history, among quarterbacks, with 14 career rushing touchdowns…Martin is now three behind Joe Boyle (17; 2007-10) in second…Sura needs nine rushing yards to pass Don Nett (1,836; 1964-67) for 15th on SJU's all-time rushing list...the Johnnie football team is now 32-0 all-time against Carleton and has out-scored the Knights 448-85 in the last 10 meetings in Clemens Stadium.