Game Leaders
Team Stats
Passing Yards
Rushing Yards
Turnovers
Time of Poss.
No. 3-ranked St. Thomas rode its defense, special teams and passing game to Saturday's 38-7 home victory over No. 7-ranked Wabash in an NCAA Division III playoff quarterfinal football game at UST's O'Shaughnessy Stadium.
The Tommies (13-0) improved to 13-1 in home playoff games under eighth-year coach Glenn Caruso. They secured their program's third trip to the playoff national semifinals in the last five seasons.
They await the Linfield vs. Mary Hardin-Baylor winner to see their Dec. 12 semifinal opponent.
St. Thomas held Wabash (12-1) to their lowest scoring total in 45 games and limited All-America candidate Mason Zurek to 72 yards on 21 rushes. The Little Giants converted just 2-of-14 on third down, punted nine times, and completed just 9-of-27 passes for 93 yards.
The Tommies scored on the first (touchdown) and last play (field goal) of the second quarter to take a 17-0 halftime lead. Placement older Charlie Dowdle scored an 18-yard TD on a fake field goal midway through the third quarter, starting a Tommie 21-0 surge in that frame over 6:47 on the clock to build a 38-0 lead.
St. Thomas' special teams contributions included:
- a 48-yard punt return TD by junior Nick Waldvogel to open the scoring;
- Dowdle's fake field goal TD;
- a blocked punt by Joe Reed in the final minute of the first half that set up a field goal;
- a successful on-side kick recovery that set up a third-quarter TD drive;
- a fumble recovery on a Wabash punt return at the Little Giants' 18-yard-line;
- kicker Paul Graupner's 24-yard field goal, 5-of-5 PATs and four touchbacks.
UST's 384 total yards included 257 passing yards by starter John Gould and backup Alex Fenske.
Dowdle caught four passes for 73 yards and one receiving TD in addition to his running TD. His 28-yard catch and run to start the second quarter on 4th-and-3 capped a 98-yard scoring drive.
Waldvogel finished wih 122 all-purpose yards. His return TD was his first of his career but 11th in the family, as older brother Fritz Waldvogel had 10 return scores in his career from 2008-2011. It was St. Thomas' 33rd return TD in the 99-game Caruso era. Fritz Waldvogel scored 46 touchdowns in 50 games, while Nick Waldvogel now has 27 TDs in 34 games.