Box ScoreCOLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – No. 10/11 Saint John's football made quick work of St. Olaf and strengthened its case for an at-large bid to the NCAA Division III playoffs with a 49-7 win in the regular-season finale on Saturday, Nov. 14, in Collegeville.
The Johnnies (9-1, 7-1 MIAC) jumped out to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter on a trio of scoring drives that lasted 15, 33 and 47 seconds, respectively.
The 32-team NCAA Division III playoff field is scheduled to be announced at 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 15, on www.ncaa.com. There are 25 automatic bids, one Pool B bid and six Pool C (at-large) bids, which SJU is hoping to earn.
Senior All-American running back
Sam Sura (South St. Paul, Minn.) carried the ball 20 times for 181 yards and four touchdowns, his fourth game of four total touchdowns and third of four rushing touchdowns this season, in the win. He broke for an 83-yard touchdown run, the sixth longest in school history, with 3:59 left in the first half to give the Johnnies a 35-0 lead. Sura became SJU's all-time leader in rushing attempts in the victory and enters a prospective postseason game next weekend needing 41 rushing yards to pass Tim Schmitz (1974-77) for the school record.
Senior wide receiver
Josh Bungum (Paynesville, Minn.) caught a 35-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback
Nick Martin (Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata) halfway through the first quarter and added a dazzling 63-yard punt return for a touchdown midway through the third. Bungum became the first Johnnie since Duane Deutz in 1958 to return a kickoff and a punt for a touchdown in the same season.
The Johnnie defense forced two first-quarter turnovers and registered eight tackles for a loss in the game, including four sacks. Senior cornerback
Trevor Warner (Murrieta, Calif./Vista Murrieta) blocked a 31-yard field-goal attempt with 30 seconds left in the second quarter.
Senior safety
Randy Perez (Murrieta, Calif./Vista Murrieta) led the Johnnies with six solo tackles, including one for a loss, and added his second interception in as many games on the opening possession.
J.J. Strnad led St. Olaf (2-8, 1-7 MIAC) with 87 yards on 16 carries, and added 23 yards on four catches. Quarterback Nate Penz finished 19 of 31 passing for 193 yards.
The Oles broke the shutout on a 14-yard touchdown pass, via fake field goal, with 8:36 remaining in the game.
Notes: The 181-yard rushing performance was the 18th of 100 yards or more for Sura, tying him with Schmitz for the school record…Sura's 23 rushing touchdowns on the season are good for second in school history, eight behind the record of 31 set by Matt Malmberg (1991-94) in 1993…Sura needs one rushing touchdown to tie Malmberg for the career record of 48.
