ADRIAN, Mich. --- Jason Hartsfield and Blake Allen each scored their first touchdowns in a University of St. Francis football uniform and Joey Tumilty added a key touchdown off an onside kick as the Fighting Saints returned to their winning ways, holding off a late charge by Siena Heights University (Mich.) in a 31-24 Mid-States Football Association crossover game Saturday afternoon.

Tumilty's 43-yard touchdown was one of two important special teams plays on the afternoon and proved to be the difference in the end after Siena Heights (1-5) rallied from a 24-7 deficit with 17 fourth-quarter points.  After the hosts made it a 24-17 game with 2:03 remaining in the contest, the ensuing onside kick fell right into the hands of Tumilty, who raced into the end zone untouched to push the lead back up to 31-17.

Siena Heights, which scored a field goal and two touchdowns on its final three possessions of the contest, answered right back with a quick 58-yard drive that took just 67 seconds and again made it a one-possession game with 42 seconds remaining.  Scott Tumilty then sealed the St. Francis victory when he covered up Siena Heights' second onside kick with 41 seconds to play.

The Saints (4-1) also had their first score set up by one of their special teams' units.  Karsen Hansen's tackle following a dropped snap on SHU's first punt of the day set USF up at the Siena Heights 27-yard line.  Three plays later, Hartsfield put his name in the St. Francis scoring books when he wrestled an eight-yard pass away from an SHU defender at the goal line.

Hartsfield's other catch on the day also resulted in a touchdown to open the second-half scoring and put the Saints up 21-7.  He snared a 13-yard pass over the middle on a third-and-nine play following a short punt that allowed head coach Joe Curry's team to start the drive at the Siena Heights 32-yard line.

USF also scored on its only other drive of the third quarter when Adrian Guerrero closed out a 10-play, 66-yard march with his 20-yard field goal.  That provided the Saints with their biggest lead of the afternoon at 24-7 with 3:25 remaining in the third quarter.

St. Francis' longest drive of the day – 7 plays, 75 yards – also resulted in points and Allen's touchdown from one yard out to give the Saints a 14-0 lead after one quarter.  That score was set up by a 35-yard reception from Dezzion Jordan and a 22-yard catch by Joey Tumilty just one play prior to Allen's touchdown.

After being held without a touchdown for the first time in four years last week, the Saints scored on four of their seven possessions Saturday, not including the Tumilty touchdown.  The offensive efficiency came despite USF being held to a season-low 219 yards on 41 plays, including just 17 yards rushing on 20 attempts.  Siena Heights, meanwhile, ran 68 plays for 356 yards and held nearly a nine-minute time- of-possession advantage.

Through the air, the Saints completed 18-of-21 passes for 202 yards and the two touchdowns to Hartsfield with all but one of those completions and nine yards being credited to Sam Tumilty.  Five different St. Francis players caught a pair of passes topped by Joey Tumilty's 90 yards on six receptions.  Ryan Little had four catches for 25 yards, while Jordan gained 51 yards on his three grabs.

SHU quarterback Elijah Taylor countered with a 26-of-36 accuracy reading for 280 yards and one touchdown.  His main target was Tendaji Alexander with nine receptions for 130 yards.

Siena Heights running back Brendan Haisenleder, who averaged better than 100 yards rushing heading into the contest, was held to 49 yards on 22 carries.  As a team, SHU picked up just 76 yards on 32 carries.

Hansen was one of the keys to that defensive success ratio with three tackles for loss (one sack) among his eight total stops.  Matthew Perry led the Saints with 10 hits, followed by Michael Torres with nine and Nick Franciskovich matching Hansen with eight.

Notes: Saturday marked the second time in a row that a kickoff return for a touchdown proved to be the difference in the game in the all-time series with Siena Heights.  In their last meeting back in 2022, Scott Tumilty had a 78-yard return for a touchdown that was the margin of victory in a 19-14 contest at Joliet Memorial Stadium … After being shutout in the red zone (0-for-2) for the first time all season last week, the Saints were a perfect 4-for-4 on Saturday with the three touchdowns and one field goal.  They are now 21-for-23 with 18 touchdowns inside the 20-yard line … With his 25-yard kickoff return Saturday, Scott Tumilty became USF's career leader for kickoff return yards with 1,768, surpassing the 1,754 yards accrued by Eliot Allen between 2010-2013.  Tumilty also holds the career record for punt return yards with 832 … With the touchdowns by Hartsfield and Allen, the Saints have now had 13 different players score points this season … Torres made his first start as a Saint on Saturday … The two teams combined to convert 12 of their 25 third-down chances with the Saints going 4-for-8.  SHU was also 3-for-5 on fourth down … Five of Siena Heights' eight drives on Saturday were eight or more plays, including one that covered 83 yards and took up almost ten minutes of the clock and another that went for 81 yards requiring almost nine minutes … Over the past two games, the Saints have rushed for just 41 yards on 42 plays … The contest was the last of four crossover games for USF, which went 3-1 in said affairs.

Up Next
The Saints have a bye week next Saturday (Oct. 12) before opening MSFA Midwest League play on Oct. 19 at NAIA No. 13 Saint Xavier University.  Kickoff is 12 pm.

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