Box Score

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Saint John's White scored 18 unanswered points in the second half to earn an 18-16 win over Saint John's Red in the football program's spring game on Saturday, April 30, in Clemens Stadium.



The contest was played like a normal game, though quarterbacks were off-limits and there were no kickoffs or place-kicking attempts (field goals/PAT's).

Senior running back Antoine Taylor (Sherman Oaks, Calif./North Hollywood) gave SJU White the 18-16 lead with an eight-yard touchdown run with 1:46 remaining. Taylor ended the day with 43 yards on six carries.

Sophomore quarterback Ben Alvord (St. Joseph, Minn./St. Cloud Apollo) led SJU Red on what looked to be a game-winning drive, but sophomore tight end Jared Streit (Watkins, Minn./Eden Valley-Watkins) was ruled out of bounds with an acrobatic catch in the back of the end zone as time expired.

Streit ended the afternoon with five catches for 130 yards, including an 86-yard touchdown pass from freshman quarterback Jackson Erdmann (Rosemount, Minn.), a transfer from Division I Penn State, which gave SJU Red a 16-0 lead with 6:26 left in the first half. Erdmann hit senior running back Zack Sundly (Harris, Minn./North Branch) for the two-point conversion.

Alvord opened the scoring with a 28-yard strike to senior wide receiver Malik Mills (Belle Rose, La./Assumption) 16 seconds into the second quarter and junior running back Brice Johnston (New Orleans, La./Brother Martin) carried it over for the two points.

Junior quarterback Matt Miedtke (Maple Grove, Minn./Osseo) capped a 10-play, 75-yard scoring drive to open the second half with a 16-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Matt Miller (Annandale, Minn.) for SJU White. Miedtke completed eight of 12 passes for 129 yards and the touchdown.

Sophomore defensive lineman Naufahu Anitoni (Fairfield, Calif./Justin-Siena) intercepted a screen pass on 4th-and-1 and returned it 32 yards for SJU White down to the SJU Red 45-yard line. Sophomore running back Derek McLaughlin (Andover, Minn.), a transfer from Division II Minnesota-Duluth, made it 16-12 with a six-yard touchdown run seven plays later.

Alvord ended the day six of 10 passing for 93 yards and the touchdown, while Erdmann went four of eight for 138 yards and a score. 

Sophomore wide receiver Will Gillach (Lindstrom, Minn./Chisago Lakes) complemented Streit with five catches for 82 yards for SJU Red, which committed three turnovers (all interceptions) and turned the ball over on downs on the SJU White two-yard line in the first quarter.

Senior tight end Reed Dunbar (Waconia, Minn./Glencoe-Silver Lake) caught a team-high six passes for 56 yards for SJU White, while Miller recorded three receptions for 74 yards and the touchdown.

Senior linebacker Parker Anderson (Prior Lake, Minn.) led SJU White, which recorded 11 tackles for loss and five sacks on the day, with seven tackles, including 2.5 for a loss.

The Johnnies are scheduled to scrimmage the Regina Thunder, a member of the Canadian Junior Football League, in Saskatchewan next Saturday, May 7. The first scrimmage is scheduled for 10 a.m. local time, followed by an afternoon session at 3 p.m.