ST. PAUL, Minn. — No. 15-ranked Tommies outscored Concordia-Moorhead 24-0 in the second and third quarters en route to Saturday's 31-17 victory in MIAC football play at UST's O'Shaughnessy Stadium.

St. Thomas (5-0 overall, 4-0 MIAC) blocked a punt, recorded eight sacks, and had three interceptions and a fumble recovery in winning their seventh game in a row dating back to last November.

The Tommies fell behind 7-0 just 90 seconds into the game. Jake Uphus' 82-yard return on the opening kickoff set up a short TD run by Cobber QB Andrew Larson. 

The Tommies scored on their first two possessions with drives of 74 and 70 yards to take the lead to stay at 14-10.

UST added 17 consecutive points to start the second half. On the opening drive of the third period, sophomore RB Colin Tobin shed an initial tackler and broke out for a 45-yard TD run to push the lead to 21-10.

Senior CB Kris Kopp blocked a punt to set up St. Thomas at the Cobber 35. Following one first-down pass, the drive stalled, but Brady Beeson kicked his first collegiate field goal, a 31-yarder, to extend the lead to 24-10.

Four plays later, Tommie freshman backup linebacker Kyle Mulrooney intercepted a pass and returned it 53 yards for a touchdown.

Cobber backup QB Michael Dunham closed the scoring with a 13-yard run midway through the final quarter. 

For UST, sophomore Fritz Waldvogel had 12 receptions for 141 yards, and junior Ben Wartman had his ninth consecutive 100-yard rushing game and 12th in his last 13 outings. Wartman closed with 105 yards on 24 carries, including a 1-yard score, and now has 14 touchdoens in five games.

Tommie sophomore QB Greg Morse completed 17-of-29 passes for 218 yards but was picked off three times, twice by Zach Debeltz.

Defensively, UST's Brady Ervin, Matt Griswold and Mulrooney had the interceptions; Cyrus Allen had three sacks; Zach Sturm had 10 tackles; Joe Pyka had a forced fumble.

St. Thomas is now 19-1 thus far this fall in conference play in football, soccer and volleyball.

St. Thomas (5-0) plays next Saturday at No. 6-ranked St. John's (6-0) in a battle of unbeatens.

Click here for box score: www.tommiesports.com/ftbl/stats/10-10-fb.htm


Press release submitted by St. Thomas on Oct 10, 2009 at 06:33 PM Eastern