Box Score

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – No. 7/8 Saint John's scored touchdowns on all six of its first-half possessions in a 41-17 win over Gustavus Adolphus on Saturday, Oct. 21, in Clemens Stadium.

SJU (7-1, 5-1 MIAC) rolled up 409 yards of offense in the first half to build a 41-7 lead at the break.



Sophomore quarterback Jackson Erdmann (Rosemount, Minn.) ended the day 20 of 30 passing for 320 yards and five touchdowns. The 300-yard passing game was the first for Erdmann, who became the first Johnnie quarterback to throw five touchdowns in a half since Tom Linnemann '00 in 2000 (vs. Macalester on Oct. 7).

Erdmann's fifth touchdown of the first half came on the final play, when junior tight end Jared Streit (Watkins, Minn./Eden Valley-Watkins) caught a 37-yard jump-ball. The touchdown also enabled Erdmann to move into a tie with Joe Boyle '11 for ninth in school history with 41 career touchdown passes.

The 300-yard passing performance was SJU's first in five years (309 by Nick Martin against Carleton on Oct. 13, 2012) and the five-touchdown performance was Erdmann's second (at Buena Vista of Iowa on Sept. 10, 2016).

Junior wide receiver Will Gillach (Lindstrom, Minn./Chisago Lakes) caught five passes for 69 yards and three first-half touchdowns. The last Johnnie to record three or more receiving touchdowns in a half was Blake Elliott '03 in 2002 (vs. St. Thomas on Nov. 2). 

Senior wide receiver Dan Harrington (Frisco, Texas/Wakeland) recorded career highs with six receptions for 159 yards and a touchdown. He entered the contest with eight catches for 93 yards in seven previous games this season.

Karim Ortiz led the Gusties (3-4, 2-3 MIAC) with 83 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries.

Senior linebacker David Franta (Winnebago, Minn./Blue Earth Area) and freshman linebacker Danny Pietruszewski (South St. Paul, Minn.) led SJU's defense with eight tackles (six solo) apiece. Senior defensive lineman Trevor Dittberner (St. Paul, Minn./Mahtomedi) posted one of the Johnnies' three sacks on the day and now leads the MIAC with 5.5 this season.

Junior cornerback Sam Westby (Lake Elmo, Minn./Hill-Murray) intercepted Gustavus' Hunter Johnson on 4th-and-4 at SJU's 16-yard line and returned it 47 yards to set up the Johnnies' final scoring drive of the first half.

Johnson, who was a starting wide receiver for GAC (33 catches for 313 yards and three touchdowns) in the season's first five games, moved to quarterback after starter Michael Veldman suffered an injury Sept. 30 at Concordia-Moorhead. Johnson finished 10 of 23 passing for 145 yards and added 21 yards rushing on 14 attempts.

The Johnnies enjoy their bye week before visiting Hamline on Saturday, Nov. 4, in St. Paul.