With 4 turnovers in their first 4 offensive possessions and falling behind 17-0 to the Oles, who were 19th ranked in last week’s D3Football.com poll, the Johnnies circled the wagons to pull out a 27-24 victory in Collegeville. The team is now 5-4 overall /4-3 in MIAC play heading into next week’s season finale in St. Paul against the Hamline Pipers.
The Johnnies got onto the board midway through the 2nd Qtr. on a 31 yard FG by Jimmie Mattson. Mattson has displayed his leg strength this season by tying a school record with a 52 yard FG earlier this season, and kicking this 31 yard score into a strong south wind showed his leg strength and accuracy once again.
Jimmie Mattson, Jr. Kicker
The Johnnies scored again shortly before halftime as QB Ben Krebsbach,in the game after starter Connor Bruns had a rough beginning,threw a 31 yard scoring pass to Wade Powers in the end zone. The ball hung in the air,throwing into the strong wind,and Powers out muscled the defender for the reception.The Johnnies go into halftime trailing 17-10.
After the early scores by St. Olaf,two of which were on short field caused by SJU turnovers, the Johnnie defense really came together as a unit and played a very tenacious swarming style of defense, wrapping up star Ole RB Leon Clark with as many as five SJU defenders. Taylor Dammermann was the leading tackler for the Johnnies. Jake King,Joe Donner and Nick Zweber were credited with QB sacks and Bobby Fischer had an interception.
Taylor Dammermann Jr. LB
The Johnnies came out of halftime and the Stephen Johnson show really took center stage. Johnson had scoring runs of 27 yards and 6 yards in the 3rd Qtr. highlighting his 38 carries for 196 net rushing yards on the afternoon. The Johnnies have,at this point, taken the lead 24-17 and have scored 24 unanswered points.
The Oles tie the score at 24-24 with 1:54 to play in the game and it appears that the game may be heading to overtime unless somehow the Johnnies can find something that has been missing for most of the season; that would be Johnnie Magic.
On what would be the second Ole punt handling miscue of the 4th Qtr,the Ole punt return man let the ball bounce off the turf and hit him in the leg, and into the waiting arms of Johnnie Special Teams player Blake Bellefeuille. The Johnnies were then on their way to the game winning FG.
Blake Bellefeuille Freshman LB
The Johnnies started the final drive from their own 43 yard-line. After a Krebsbach incompletion the coaching staff inserted Bruns back into the game at QB. Bruns has the stronger arm and has been called on in situations throughout the season the run the “hurry up offense”. The Johnnies drove the ball to the Ole 8 yard line, and Mattson was brought in to attempt the game winning FG with 5 seconds remaining. Mattson came through and converted the kick.
The Oles had one more play after the ensuing kick off and 2.3 seconds on the clock. The horror of the Augsburg finish at Homecoming was running through the minds of the Johnnie Faithful in the stands. As in the Homecoming game, a Johnnie defender narrowly missed sacking the QB and there was a desperation throw into the end zone. This time,however, the Johnnies prevail as the throw fell to the turf incomplete.
The Johnnies can end their season on a 4 game winning streak next week in St. Paul, if they remain focused and play like they are capable if playing finishing at 6-4. A record of 6-4 is disappointing to this team as well as missing the NCAA Division III play-off for a second consecutive year,but it sure will feel a lot better than a potential 5-5 record. The playing experience that younger players received this season should be valuable building blocks for years to come in Johnnie Football.
** Photos Courtesy of GoJohnnies.com
