DULUTH, Minn. – The Saints football team continues its winning ways and offensive production in a rout of the Martin Luther Knights 66-10 at Public Schools Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
With the victory over the Knights (2-8, 2-7 UMAC), the Saints win the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) outright, as the final standings can no longer end up in a tie on paper.
The Knights got on the board first in this one when Shawn Scherer put in a 33-yard field goal to give Martin Luther the 3-0 lead with 6:20 left in the first quarter.
The Saints would answer less than two minutes later when Travis Nehowig ran one in from 12 yards out for the score. Mike Theismann's point after attempt was good to give CSS a 7-3 lead, a lead they wouldn't give up.
CSS would score again late in the first when Alex Thiry found Keegan O'Neill for a 38-yard touchdown. With Theismann's extra point the score was now 14-3 in favor of the Saints.
Thiry and his cousin Nick Thiry would connect for three touchdowns in the second quarter from 21 yards, 62 yards and 10 yards respectively. All of Theismann's extra points were good to give the Saints a halftime lead of 35-3.
The scoring wasn't done for the Saints as a 51-yard drive would end in a Thiry-O'Neill touchdown connection early in the third quarter. Theismann stayed perfect with extra points and the Saints went ahead 42-3.
N. Thiry would score on a rushing touchdown later in the third from seven yards out to give CSS a 49-3 lead after Theismann's extra point was good.
Theismann began the fourth quarter with a 38-yard field goal to extend the lead for the Saints. Just two and half minutes later, Thomas Fragale would find the end zone on a one-yard touchdown run. Theismann's extra point was good making the score 59-3 in favor of the Saints.
Tyler Harper found Spencer Specht later in the fourth for a 26-yard touchdown. Theismann's extra point would make it 66-3 to complete a 66-point unanswered run by St. Scholastica.
The Knights would get on the board one more time with 1:29 left when Mark Voss scored on a 21-yard run. Scherer's extra point was good to make the score 66-10 and it would remain that score for a final in Duluth.
Thiry had another impressive day passing as he went 22-27 for 412 yards and five touchdowns to give him 2,350 yards and 33 touchdowns on the season. Thiry still has just one interception on the season.
Fragale was the leading rusher for the Saints carrying the ball 12 times for 108 yards and a touchdown. Nehowig ended the day with 14 carries for 85 yards and a touchdown as well. N. Thiry had a touchdown on just one rush on a day that the Saints ran the ball for 226 yards.
N. Thiry led the way receiving for CSS catching eight balls for 187 yards and three touchdowns. O'Neill had six grabs for 93 yards and two touchdowns and Specht had just the one catch that was a touchdown for the Saints. Jonny Bennett also had a 100-yard receiving day bringing in five passes for 114 yards.
Zack Dubanoski led the defense with 10 tackles and JP Leary was right behind him with nine. Sean Graskey added eight tackles of his own and Jake Turkowski had seven for the Saints.
The Saints (9-0, 8-0 UMAC) will finish the season in Illinois as they travel to take on the Eureka College Red Devils (4-4, 4-5 UMAC) in the season finale next Saturday at 1 p.m.