JOLIET, Ill. – Strong offense and special teams play, combined with a late goal-line stand, propelled the University of St. Francis football team to a 29-27 victory over Robert Morris University on senior day.
The Saints (3-7, 1-3 MSFA Midwest League) held 20-6 and 29-13 leads, but the Eagles (2-8, 1-4 MSFA Midwest) clawed their way back to create a dramatic finish. After a touchdown and two-point conversion pulled RMU within one score at 29-21, the ensuing USF drive stalled at midfield. Josh Holberry (Huddersfield, England) sent a low punt that hit near the 15 but rolled all the way to the 1-yard line where Michael Johnson (Plainfield, Ill./Joliet Catholic) kept it in the field of play and Noah Fritz (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais) downed it, pinning the Eagles deep with just over four minutes to go.
On the next RMU possession, the Saints defense forced four third downs and two fourth downs, but the Eagles were up to the task each time. On the 16th play of the drive and with just 32.6 seconds on the clock, Quinn Kelly hooked up with Mike Moss for a 20-yard touchdown. Attempting to tie the game with another two-point conversion, RMU turned to running back Ezekiel Tulloch, who averaged 6.5 yards per carry on the day. This time, Kody Randa (Sandwich, Ill./Sandwich) delivered the initial hit at the 2-yard line and then a swarm of Saints, including senior Antonio Jameson (Bolingbrook, Ill./Plainfield East), Tariq Thurman (River Forest, Ill./Oak Park-River Forest), and Sandillo Wright (Chicago, Ill./Harper), all crashed to the ball carrier, stopping Tulloch just short of the goal line and sealing the victory for the Saints.
It was the second time in the game that USF sent RMU away at the goal line. After the Saints opened the contest with a 10-play, 65-yard drive, capped by an 11-yard strike from senior Don Butkus (Dyer, Ind./Mount Carmel) to senior Matt Brachmann (Elmhurst, Ill./Montini Catholic), the Eagles looked to answer. Jameson made a big play for the Saints, knocking the ball away from RMU's Kevin Batt at the 1-yard line. Thurman recovered the fumble, giving the Saints' offense a chance to extend the lead. St. Francis did just that, totaling five plays of 10-plus yards on the next drive, including Butkus threading a 21-yard touchdown pass to senior Malcolm Levy (Yorkville, Ill./Yorkville) in between two defenders that gave the hosts a 13-0 advantage.
After RMU got on the board, USF drove down the field again. This time a pair of running backs starred for the Saints. Senior Jordon Smith (DeWitt, Mich./Lansing Catholic) carried the ball five times for 35 yards before Dwayne Milton (Machesney Park, Ill./Harlem) pounded his way into the end zone from 10 yards out.
An Omari Ferguson 78-yard catch and run pulled the Eagles within one score again and RMU threatened to tie the game on its next drive, but the Saints held strong. On fourth-and-10, Wright intercepted a pass in the end zone to send Robert Morris away empty-handed.
The score remained 20-13 in favor of the Saints for the entirety of the third quarter. Early in the fourth, two more big plays helped St. Francis extend a game-high 29-13 lead. A third-down stop by the Eagles forced the Saints to punt from their 50-yard line. The bouncing kick hit Ferguson, forcing RMU's returner to retreat and pick up the ball inside the 5-yard line. Ferguson ran into the end zone trying to avoid the USF coverage and senior Ray Vallot (Crete, Ill./Crete-Monee) tracked him down from behind for a safety.
It took the Saints' offense just three plays to score on the ensuing drive as Butkus hit Jusiah Gable (Cottonwood, Calif./West Valley) in stride down the left sideline for a 31-yard touchdown, sending the Saints ahead by 16.
RMU nearly came all the way back, but the Saints held strong on the final two-point attempt to take home its first MSFA Midwest League win.
Butkus had a big game for the Saints, completing 19 of his 30 passes for 269 yards and three touchdowns. His top target was Gable, who posted career-highs in receptions (five) and receiving yards (82) while hauling in the first touchdown of his career. Seniors Brachmann and Vallot added 66 and 64 receiving yards respectively. Smith paced the Saints with 14 carries for 57 yards with Milton not far behind (11 attempts, 55 yards).
On defense, Jameson had 10 tackles and a forced fumble. Thurman recovered that fumble, while Wright finished with an interception and a pair of pass breakups. Randa added eight tackles for USF. Those four players were a part of the Saints' final goal line stand.
RMU's Kelly had 330 yards and four touchdowns. Ferguson and Moss had 100-yard receiving days, while Tulloch finished just short of 100 yards on the ground with 91.
The Saints wrap up their season with a matchup against Trinity International University next Saturday, November 10. Kickoff in Deerfield is scheduled for noon.
