Box Score

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – No. 8/9 Saint John's football out-gained Hamline 558-94, including a 348-(-40) margin on the ground, in a 42-6 win on Saturday, Nov. 5, at Clemens Stadium in Collegeville.

Junior running back Dusty Krueger (Lake Elmo, Minn./Hill-Murray) totaled four touchdowns and the Johnnies' defense registered 11 tackles for a loss and eight sacks, six of which came on third down. The eight sacks were the most for SJU since 2009 (eight in the 41-7 win at Hamline on Oct. 10).



Hamline (5-4, 3-4 MIAC) entered the game with the MIAC's top passing attack (295.3 ypg.), which was good for 28th nationally, but was held to 134 yards through the air on the afternoon.

Krueger rushed for touchdowns of four, 49 and three yards, and finished with 97 yards on 13 carries for SJU (8-1, 6-1 MIAC). His 34-yard touchdown reception from freshman quarterback Jackson Erdmann (Rosemount, Minn.) gave SJU a 14-6 lead with 22 seconds left in the first quarter. Erdmann, who was making his first start since Sept. 24, played the first half and finished eight of 15 passing for 139 yards and the score. His career-long, 52-yard run set up the Johnnies' first score of the day.

Sophomore quarterback Ben Alvord (St. Joseph, Minn./St. Cloud Apollo) played the second half and completed all seven of his pass attempts for 71 yards. He also added 87 yards on nine carries, including a 27-yard touchdown in the third quarter.

Although senior wide receiver Evan Clark (Phoenix, Ariz./Apollo) saw his streak of consecutive games with a touchdown reception end at eight, he rushed for 49 yards on four carries, including a 17-yard touchdown. He now has a touchdown in each of SJU's nine games this season for a total of 14 (12 receiving and two rushing).

Senior linebacker Carter Hanson (Blue Earth, Minn.) led SJU with nine tackles (seven solo), including 1.5 for a loss. Senior defensive linemen Jack Pietruszewski (South St. Paul, Minn.) and Peyton Thiry (Lester Prairie, Minn./Lester Prairie-Holy Trinity), and sophomore defensive lineman Nathan Brinker (Avon, Minn./Holdingford) collected two sacks apiece. Brinker currently leads the MIAC in both tackles for loss (12) and sacks (7.5) in conference play.

Junior linebacker David Franta (Winnebago, Minn./Blue Earth Area) snagged his first collegiate interception in the fourth quarter.

The Johnnies end the regular season with a 1 p.m. game at Concordia (7-2, 6-1 MIAC) next Saturday, Nov. 12, at Jake Christiansen Stadium in Moorhead.