JOLIET, Ill. --- After dropping each of its first four games by one score, the University of St. Francis football team came out on the winning side of the ledger in another tight affair on Saturday defeating Trinity International University 28-20 in a Mid-States Football Association Midwest League contest at ATI Field at Joliet Memorial Stadium.
 

The home contest was the first one in six weeks – three road games/one cancellation/one bye week – for the Saints since their season opener against Saint Xavier University (Feb. 6) and was 38 degrees warmer than the opener. That game was played in 14-degree temperatures with the wind chill making it feel like zero. The temperature on Saturday was 52 degrees at game time with bright sunshine and the return of USF fans to the stadium.
 

Hoping to build off its season-high 309-yard output from one week ago, the Saints' offense struggled to get things going Saturday, finishing with just 211 yards, its second-lowest total of the campaign. Instead, it was five of USF's special teams units that keyed the victory and the season-high 28-point figure.
 

Kickoff returns of 43 and 32 yards set up a pair of scores as did a 41-yard punt return. The Saints also converted a fake field goal into a touchdown and opened the contest with a two-point PAT. Placekicker Brian Maday (FR/Orland Park, Ill.) also provided a pair of PATs.
 

Liam Eldridge (JR/San Clemente, Calif.) began a big day for him with a 34-yard kickoff return on the game's first play. That put the Saints in Trinity International territory and nine plays later, starting quarterback Joey Passo (FR/Plainfield, Ill.) found wide receiver Ravon Johnson (GR/Bolingbrook, Ill.) in the end zone on a fourth-down play.
 

Three series later, it was Scott Tumilty (FR/Villa Park, Ill.) getting the Saints within 15 yards of the end zone with a 41-yard punt return. Perre' Barbarin (SR/New Orleans, La.) did the rest of the work, rushing three times with the last one from five yards out getting him into the end zone for a 14-0 lead late in the first quarter.
 

Another 32-yard kickoff return from Tumilty after Trinity International made it a 14-6 game late in the second quarter allowed the Saints to answer right back courtesy of the fake field goal. Holder Eric Maffie (SO/Coal Valley, Ill.) found Daniel Goetsch (SO/West Chicago, Ill.) along the right sideline and the 6-3, 215-lb. wide receiver straddled the sideline before barreling into the end zone. That capped USF's longest drive of the afternoon (9 plays, 60 yards) and sent the Saints into the break with a 21-6 advantage.
 

Trinity International made things interesting twice in the second half with a pair of scores. Big plays for the Trojans were the story of their day. Deon Cook set up the second-quarter score with a 67-yard pass play from Nolan Brammer on third-and-six, while Gino Mastandrea delivered twice in the second half. His 46-yard pass play on fourth-and-11 set up Derek Lowe's two-yard touchdown reception and his 32-yard catch made it a 28-20 game with just over four minutes to play.
 

Cook finished the day with 142 yards on eight receptions, while Mastandrea was right behind with 136 yards on seven catches. Brammer completed 27 of his 48 attempts for 344 yards with the three touchdown passes.
 

USF's fifth special teams unit that proved crucial was its punt team, which recovered a fumble when the ball hit the leg of one of Trinity International's players. An alert Michael Whitney (SO/Charlotte, Mich.) recovered the ball at the TIU 27-yard line. Johnson and Passo made the Trojans pay for it three plays later when they connected for their second scoring strike, this time on a 25-yard pass play on third-and-eight. That score came just prior to TIU's final touchdown.
 

Fortunately for the Saints, they were able to run out the clock following TIU's final touchdown, picking up three first downs in the closing 4:08 to finish with an 11:09-3:51 time of possession advantage in the closing quarter.
 

Neither team could get its ground game going on the day. Trinity International attempted just nine carries for 22 yards, while the Saints were limited to 50 yards on 40 plays.  They also had 71 yards in losses.
 

Eldridge led the USF offense with 60 yards on a season-best ten catches to go along with 20 rushing yards and the 34-yard kickoff return for 114 all-purpose yards. Johnson added 49 yards on five grabs and Goetsch, two for 44. 
 

Passo completed 18 of his 29 passes for 136 yards with the two touchdowns to Johnson and one interception.
 

Tumilty totaled 120 all-purpose yards as well with his five punt returns for 52 yards and two kickoff returns for 68 yards.
 

Defensively, Jalen Cooper (SO/Edwardsville, Ill.) recorded his second interception of the season with a 23-yard return. He also made five stops.
 

The Saints are back on the road next Saturday (March 27) when they had to St. Louis to face Missouri Baptist University in a 5 pm MSFA Midwest League affair.