Box Score

By Frank Rajkowski and Ryan Klinkner '04

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – It may have been the season's second game, but there were a lot of firsts for the No. 7 Saint John's University football team in its 55-7 victory over Martin Luther on Saturday, Sept. 18, in Collegeville.

To start, it marked the first time the Johnnies (2-0 overall) played a game in their throwback, baby blue alternate jerseys.

But beyond fashion, there were also the five players who scored their first collegiate touchdowns as a number of new faces saw extensive playing time before a crowd of 5,421 at a sun-soaked Clemens Stadium.

"I've been waiting for that for a long time," said sophomore wide receiver Jimmy Buck, a transfer from Division I Minnesota, who finished with seven catches for 148 yards and his first two touchdowns.

"It felt great. I celebrated in the end zone with my buddies. It was just awesome."



In addition to Buck, senior tight end Alec Ganz (Mahtomedi, Minn.), junior wide receiver R.J. Altidort (North Miami, Fla./Miami Central), sophomore running back Tony Underwood (Eagan, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall) and sophomore wide receiver Todd Jager (St. Bonifacius, Minn./Waconia) also reached the end zone for the first time at SJU Saturday.

Senior running back Henry Trost (Lindstrom, Minn./Chisago Lakes) had the game's first touchdown, scoring on a 4-yard run early in the first quarter. Trost finished with 72 yards on just 10 carries. Junior running back Entebbe Bates (Lakeland, Fla./Gibson) matched Trost's 72 yards on only three carries during the Johnnies' final possession of the game.

A 69-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Aaron Syverson (Minnetonka, Minn.) to Buck later in the quarter expanded that margin to 14-0.

But Martin Luther's Ben Arndt picked off a Syverson pass and returned it 22 yards for a touchdown early in the second quarter to cut the gap in half at 14-7 – which was as close as it got all afternoon.

That was one of two turnovers for the Johnnies in the first half - the other was a muffed punt return - as SJU got off to a bit of a sluggish start before finally finding its groove. Syverson finished 14 of 22 passing for 295 yards and four touchdowns.

SJU was without its top three receivers - senior wide receivers Ravi Alston (Lake Elsinore, Calif./Vista Murrieta) and Matt Mohr (Chisago City, Minn./Chisago Lakes), and junior tight end Alex Larson (Woodbury, Minn./East Ridge) - from Sept. 4's season opener.

The Johnnies out-gained Martin Luther (1-2 overall) 554-161, including a 297-52 advantage in the first half, and scored touchdowns on all four of their second-half possessions.

"I love our defense," senior defensive lineman Michael Wozniak (New Hope, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong) said of a defense that recorded a pair of sacks Saturday and did not allow an offensive touchdown. "I love the guys I'm with. They're some of my best friends which helps for camaraderie, but also guys are really stepping up when they need to."

The Knights entered the day with NCAA Division III's fifth-best rushing attack at 345 yards per game and finished with 88 yards on 46 attempts (1.9 avg.).

Junior linebacker Erik Bjork (Mahtomedi, Minn.) led SJU with 11 tackles (five solo), while senior defensive lineman Seth Morem (Red Wing, Minn.) registered seven stops (four solo), including three for a loss and a sack.

The Johnnies open conference play with a 1 p.m. kickoff vs. No. 15 Bethel (2-0 overall) next Saturday, Sept. 25, in Clemens Stadium.