Box Score

NORTHFIELD, Minn. – No. 8/9 Saint John's rode a stout defense and efficient offense to a 35-0 shutout at Carleton on a rainy Saturday, Oct. 14, in Northfield.

The sloppy conditions plagued the Johnnies (6-1, 4-1 MIAC), who fumbled the ball eight times, including each of the first three offensive plays in the game. The visitors, however, forced four turnovers and held Carleton (0-7, 0-5 MIAC) to 70 yards of offense in the shutout. Forty-six of the Knights' 70 yards came in the fourth quarter.

The shutout is SJU's second of the season, eighth in 53 games under the direction of head coach Gary Fasching and 177th in the program's history. The Johnnies, like Saturday's final score, are now 35-0 all-time against Carleton.

Senior running back Dusty Krueger (Lake Elmo, Minn./Hill-Murray) recorded his second consecutive 100-yard rushing performance and fifth of his career, 100 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries (7.7 avg.), in the win. He now has 238 yards and five touchdowns on 33 attempts (7.2 avg.) in his last two games.

Krueger gave SJU a 7-0 lead with a 35-yard touchdown run on the game's opening possession and added a 1-yard plunge with 12 seconds remaining in the first half.

Junior safety Max Jackson (St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall) returned his second interception for a touchdown in as many games, a 55-yard return, to give SJU a 14-0 lead 59 seconds into the second quarter. He now has three defensive touchdowns this season and is tied with linebacker Beau LaBore '01, defensive back Matt Emmerich '98 and defensive lineman Brian Kohorst '94 for the most defensive touchdowns (3) in school history.

Sophomore quarterback Jackson Erdmann (Rosemount, Minn.) ended the scoring with a pair of touchdowns passes in the third quarter. Senior wide receiver Evan Clark (Phoenix, Ariz./Apollo) made an acrobatic, 19-yard touchdown catch on the left edge of the end zone and sophomore tight end Ben Bartch (Dayton, Ore./Blanchet Catholic) snagged his first collegiate touchdown reception, from 12 yards out, with one second remaining before the final quarter. Erdmann finished six of 11 passing for 83 yards.

The touchdown reception enabled Clark to tie Ryan Murray '94 for 10th in school history with 22. His 25-yard kick return to start the game moved him past Emmerich for second all-time with 1,030 yards.

Senior linebacker Mack Short (Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Simley) led SJU with seven tackles (four solo). Senior linebacker David Franta (Winnebago, Minn./Blue Earth Area) posted five tackles (one solo), including two for a loss, while senior linebacker Mitch Messman (Burtrum, Minn./Holdingford) and senior safety Joe Robel (Blaine, Minn.) tallied an interception each.

The Johnnies return home to host Gustavus Adolphus (3-3, 2-2 MIAC) at 1 p.m. next Saturday, Oct. 21, at Clemens Stadium in Collegeville.