Box Score
NORTHFIELD, Minn. – No. 7 Saint John's scored 36 unanswered points in a 56-7 win at St. Olaf on Saturday, Sept. 16, in Northfield.
The Johnnies out-gained the Oles 495-177, including a 298-33 advantage on the ground.
For the third consecutive game, SJU (3-0, 1-0 MIAC) scored an offensive touchdown in three plays or less to start the contest. Sophomore quarterback
Jackson Erdmann (Rosemount, Minn.) hit junior wide receiver
Will Gillach (Lindstrom, Minn./Chisago Lakes) for a 28-yard gain on the first play from scrimmage and connected with junior wide receiver
Joey Eckhoff (Northfield, Minn.) for a 26-yard touchdown on the very next play.
Erdmann finished 9 of 18 passing for 152 yards and two touchdowns. Gillach caught three passes for 67 yards and a score, while Eckhoff snagged three passes for 81 yards and a touchdown.
Junior running back
Adam Essler (New London, Minn./New London-Spicer) scored from one yard out to give SJU a 14-0 lead with 1:28 left in the first quarter, but a bad snap from center and subsequent blocked punt gave the Oles (1-2, 0-1 MIAC) prime real estate (the Johnnies' 19-yard line) to score a touchdown of their own two plays later (14-7).
Junior quarterback
Ben Alvord (St. Joseph, Minn./St. Cloud Apollo) found Gillach for a 15-yard touchdown halfway through the second quarter before junior kicker
Zach Barwick (Littleton, Colo./Dakota Ridge) made the first of his two field goals on the day (33 and 39 yards).
Senior wide receiver
Dan Harrington (Frisco, Texas/Wakeland) caught a 4-yard touchdown pass from Erdmann with 16 seconds left in the first half to give the Johnnies a 32-7 lead at the break.
Erdmann scored on a 1-yard plunge with 4:19 remaining in the third quarter, the first of three rushing touchdowns for SJU in the second half. Junior running back
Zach Ernst (Elk River, Minn.) broke loose for a 59-yard score early in the fourth quarter and senior running back
Brice Johnston (New Orleans, La./Brother Martin) shed multiple would-be tacklers for a 26-yard touchdown to end the scoring.
Senior linebacker
David Franta (Winnebago, Minn./Blue Earth Area) led SJU's defense with seven tackles (six solo), while junior defensive lineman
Nathan Brinker (Avon, Minn./Holdingford) collected two quarterback sacks.
The Johnnies travel to Target Field next Saturday, Sept. 23, to take on No. 10 St. Thomas (2-1, 1-0 MIAC). The 87th meeting between the two programs is set for a 1:10 p.m. kickoff in Minneapolis.
Notes: SJU is now 65-24-7 (.714) all-time in its first MIAC game of the season…the Johnnies have now out-scored St. Olaf 206-20 in the last five meetings since a 38-35 loss to the Oles on Sept. 29, 2012…a turnover on downs, from STO's 9-yard line on the Johnnies' second offensive possession of the game, was SJU's first trip inside the red zone without earning a point this season (19-for-20).
