Box ScoreCOLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – No. 8 Saint John's scored more points than offensive plays as the Johnnies rolled to a 56-7 non-conference win over Buena Vista (Iowa) on Saturday, Sept. 12, in Collegeville.
SJU (2-0 overall) posted 466 yards of offense on 55 plays, an average of 8.5 yards per snap, forced four turnovers and registered five sacks in the win. The Johnnies out-gained BVU (0-2 overall) 266-16 on the ground.
Five of the Johnnies' eight touchdowns were 20-yard plays or better.
Senior quarterback
Nick Martin (Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata) was a perfect 9 of 9 passing for 142 yards and three touchdowns, and added another touchdown on the ground. He currently boasts a .852 completion percentage (23 of 27) and a 221.2 pass-efficiency rating (280 yards and four touchdowns) through the season's first two games.
Senior All-American running back
Sam Sura (South St. Paul, Minn.) ran for 132 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries, the 12th 100-yard rushing performance of his career. He, like Martin, appeared in the first offensive possession of the second half before taking a seat.
Junior linebacker
Carter Hanson (Blue Earth, Minn.) tallied nine tackles, including two for a loss and a sack, and gave SJU an early 7-0 lead with a 24-yard fumble return for a touchdown. Following a three-and-out to start the game, Buena Vista lined up for a punt, but the snap hit the upback and Hanson picked up the loose ball in stride and ran unscathed for the score.
Senior wide receiver
Josh Bungum (Paynesville, Minn.) snagged three passes for 54 yards, including a highlight-reel 33-yard touchdown reception halfway through the first quarter. The three catches enabled him to pass Chris Palmer (1992-95) for third on the school's all-time list with 166.
Martin connected with junior wide receiver
Evan Clark (Phoenix, Ariz./Apollo) and senior tight end
Nick Simon (New Ulm, Minn./Cathedral) for touchdowns in the second quarter to give SJU a 35-0 halftime lead.
Early in the fourth quarter, freshman defensive lineman
Nathan Brinker (Avon, Minn./Holdingford) sacked the BVU quarterback and forced a fumble, where it was recovered by junior linebacker
Parker Anderson (Prior Lake, Minn.) on the Beavers' two-yard line. Junior running back
Antoine Taylor (Sherman Oaks, Calif./North Hollywood) crossed the goal line on the ensuing play to give SJU a 49-0 lead.
BVU found the scoreboard with a 27-yard touchdown pass, on fourth-and-five, from Trevor Trunck to Jalen Henningsen. Henningsen ended the day with seven catches for 101 yards.
Sophomore running back
Dusty Krueger (Woodbury, Minn./Hill-Murray) ended the scoring with a 44-yard touchdown run halfway through the fourth quarter.
The Johnnies begin MIAC play with a 1 p.m. game at Concordia-Moorhead next Saturday, Sept. 19.
Notes: SJU is now 17-5 all-time against members of the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC), including a 2-0 record versus Buena Vista…the Johnnies have out-scored the Beavers, 117-7…Sura passed Rick Bell (1979-82) for fourth in SJU history with 2,701 career rushing yards…he needs 223 to pass Matt Malmberg (1991-94) for third…Sura is now all alone in second place with 12 career 100-yard rushing performances, six behind Tim Schmitz's (1974-77) school record.
