By Frank Rajkowski, SJU Writer/Video Producer

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. - It had been a long time since Ravi Alston last reached the end zone.

But when the Saint John's University wide receiver hauled in a touchdown pass in the first quarter of his team's victory over Gustavus Adolphus earlier this season, he knew just what he planned to do.

"I pointed to the sky in honor of my Dad (left). I wanted to pay tribute to him," said the 6-foot-3, 190-pounder, whose team (5-0, 4-0 MIAC) takes on archrival St. Thomas (4-1, 3-0 MIAC) at 1:10 p.m. Saturday at Allianz Field in St. Paul.

The Johnnies are ranked No. 4 in the most recent D3football.com Division III national poll. The Tommies are ranked No. 11.

Alston's father – Ravi Alston Sr., a military veteran who served in the first Gulf War – died in 2008 at age 40 when his son was just 9.

Now Alston writes his father's birthday on his wrist in Sharpie prior to every game he plays.

"I started doing that when I got here to Saint John's," he explained. "I know not everyone has the chance to play college football. I'm getting that opportunity now. And I wanted to dedicate it to something greater than me.

"I'm playing for him."

The touchdown against Gustavus wasn't just the first of Alston's collegiate career. It marked his first since eighth grade.

Alston started on his high school team at Vista Murrieta (California) High School as a junior and senior. But with teammates who have gone on to Division I programs like Arizona State, BYU and Boise State also in the mix, there just weren't a lot of passes to go around.

"Our school breeds a lot of Division I athletes," said Alston of Vista Murrieta, which also produced former All-MIAC Johnnies defensive back Trevor Warner '16 (now the defensive backs coach at Ithaca College in New York) and others who have gone on to play in Collegeville.

"I learned a lot playing with those guys, but I didn't get a lot of looks," he added with a smile. "I actually did score three touchdowns, but they were all called back."

Alston has been making up for lost time this season though. He leads the Johnnies in receiving with 21 catches for 422 yards and five touchdowns.

That includes four catches for 80 yards and two touchdowns in a 56-10 win at Carleton on Sept. 28, three catches for 91 yards and one touchdown in a 61-6 Homecoming win over Augsburg on Oct. 5 and a breakout nine catches for 188 yards and one touchdown in a 19-0 win over Bethel last Saturday. 

The Royals were ranked No. 6 by D3football.com.

"It felt good," Alston said. "I'm going out there and trying to make the most of every opportunity I get. And things are starting to come together."

He has put in a lot of work to make that happen. 

Saint John's lost five of its top six receivers from last season to graduation, leaving the door open for players like Alston and fellow sophomore T.J. Hodge to step in. With that in mind, Alston did not return to California this summer, but instead stayed in Collegeville to build chemistry with veteran senior quarterback Jackson Erdmann.

"That was a big commitment for me, but I wanted to do whatever I could to make us a better team," Alston said. "It took a little time for Jackson and me to click. But every week it's gotten better and better."

"The timing wasn't completely there to start this season," added offensive coordinator Kole Heckendorf. "It took a little time to get everyone on the same page. But each week, you can see the trust Jackson has in guys like Ravi growing more and more."

Now it's on to the matchup with the Tommies, which will be played in front of a sellout crowd of 19,400 at the home of Major League Soccer's Minnesota United.

Alston can't wait to be at the center of the action.

"It's going to be exciting to be part of that environment," he said. "I've never experienced what it's going to be like to play in front of that many people in a stadium like that. I'm really looking forward to it."