Box Score
ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – No. 10/14 Saint John's football forced five turnovers and scored 35 straight points en route to a 42-27 win at Bethel on Saturday, Oct. 1, in Arden Hills.
The Johnnies' backup quarterback, sophomore
Ben Alvord (St. Joseph, Minn./St. Cloud Apollo), completed his first 14 passes and ended the day 15 of 17 passing for 211 yards and three touchdowns in his first collegiate start. He also rushed for 19 yards and left the game late in the third quarter.
SJU's starting quarterback in its first four games of the season, freshman
Jackson Erdmann (Rosemount, Minn.), entered this weekend tied for the NCAA Division III lead in passing touchdowns (15), second in pass efficiency (214.5), fourth in points responsible for (90) and fifth in yards per pass attempt (10.77). He did not play Saturday due to a concussion suffered Sept. 24 against St. Thomas.
Senior wide receiver
Evan Clark (Phoenix, Ariz./Apollo) recorded career highs in receptions (8) and receiving yards (150), and added two receiving touchdowns in the win for SJU (4-1, 2-1 MIAC). He entered Saturday's game tied for third in NCAA Division III with seven touchdown receptions and now has 12 receiving touchdowns in his last nine games going back to last fall.
Bethel (1-4, 1-2 MIAC) took the opening kickoff and gained an early 7-0 lead on a 15-play, 77-yard scoring drive. SJU, however, answered with 35 consecutive points.
Alvord connected with Clark for two touchdowns, a 40-yard catch-and-sprint and an on-target 49-yard post route, and a 20-yard strike to junior wide receiver
Matt Miller (Annandale, Minn.) in the first half. The 20-yard touchdown to Miller gave SJU a 28-7 halftime lead.
Senior running back
Zack Sundly (Harris, Minn./North Branch) scored two rushing touchdowns on the day, the first of his collegiate career, while junior running back
Dusty Krueger (Lake Elmo, Minn./Hill-Murray) put SJU's final points on the scoreboard with a 13-yard scamper.
BU ended the streak of 35 unanswered points by SJU on a 59-yard touchdown pass with 4:24 left in the third quarter. The Royals put together an 85-yard scoring drive late in the fourth quarter, successfully recovered the ensuing onside kick and scored again three plays later.
Junior
Matt Miedtke (Maple Grove, Minn./Osseo) came in for Alvord in the third quarter and went three of six passing for 51 yards. Miller ended the afternoon with five catches for 66 yards and the touchdown.
Senior linebacker
Jack Pietruszewski (South St. Paul, Minn.) led the Johnnies' defense with 11 tackles (five solo). Senior All-American linebacker
Carter Hanson (Blue Earth, Minn.) added nine tackles (two solo), a forced fumble and an interception in the win. Senior safeties
Garrett Ackerman (Temecula, Calif./Great Oak) and
Lucas Glomb (Woodbury, Minn./Hill-Murray) recorded the team's other interceptions.
The Johnnies return to the Twin Cities for a 1 p.m. kickoff at Augsburg next Saturday, Oct. 8, at Edor Nelson Field in Minneapolis.
Notes: Alvord's start was the first debut for a Johnnie quarterback on an opposing team's field since Doug Lieser '98 at Augsburg in 1997…John Ries '13 and R.J. Welsh '04 both made their first collegiate starts in wins at the Metrodome in 2009 (Augsburg) and Bethel (2002), respectively…the Johnnies are now 29-9 all-time against Bethel…SJU improved to 30-9 in games played on natural grass since artificial grass was installed in Clemens Stadium prior to the 2002 season...the 42 points scored are the most by SJU against Bethel since 1996 (52-8 win on Nov. 2 in Collegeville).
