JOLIET, Ill. --- Points have been hard to come by for the University of St. Francis football team this season … until Saturday. Using the recipe for success that each of its previous five opponents employed against the Saints this season, head coach
Joe Curry's club put up 21 first-quarter points to bolt out to a 21-0 lead and end a season-opening five-game losing streak with a 27-14 Mid-States Football Association crossover game victory against Defiance College (Ohio) at Joliet Memorial Stadium.
Coming into the contest, USF (1-5) managed just 24 first-half points over its first five games combined. On Saturday, it took full advantage of a pair of short punts and an interception by Defiance to score on each of its first three possessions.
The Saints also converted a pair of third-down plays on each of their first two scoring drives.
Tyshaun Strong completed the seven-play, 47-yard opening drive with his nine-yard run, while quarterback
Jalen Webb-Starkey was a perfect 3-for-3 passing for 22 yards.
Webb-Starkey completed another three passes, not to mention using an 18-yard run to extend the Saints second drive, a nine-play, 56-yard march. He capped it with his nine-yard touchdown strike to
Connor Engstrom.
The catch was one of eight for the second straight week for Engstrom, who finished with a game-high 87 yards receiving. Other big contributors among the receiving corps were
Mason Hackman (4 catches, 59 yards),
Jaden Boe (3-55) and
Michael Fritz (3-23).
USF turned the first of three Defiance interceptions into points one series later. Fueled by a 17-yard Webb-Starkey run and a 34-yard Hackman reception, the Saints needed just six plays to go 63 yards with
Jonny Sorensen putting the bow on the drive with his two-yard run.
Touchdowns late in the second and third quarters got Defiance (3-3) back in the game, putting the Yellow Jackets within seven points (21-7) with the whole fourth quarter still to be played.
The Saints, however, deflated that momentum right quick. In fact, on the very next series with a key 21-yard run on fourth-and-six on a fake punt by
Adrian Guerrero to extend the drive. Five plays later, Webb-Starkey hooked up with Boe on a 26-yard touchdown to make it 27-14.
From there, USF's defense stood out over Defiance's final three offensive series with a pair of picks in St. Francis territory and a fourth-down sack inside the red zone. The latter came with Defiance getting as close as the USF eight-yard line and ending with a
Marcello Bernardi/Isaac Johnson combined sack.
Defiance advanced into the red zone four separate times, but came away with just seven points compared with USF's perfect 3-for-3 day. The Yellow Jackets had a 31-yard field goal attempt hit off the right post in the second quarter and turned the ball over on downs in the third and fourth quarter.
Leading USF's defensive effort were a handful of Saints, starting with
John Wesolowski's 13 tackles, including 1.5 for loss.
Gavin Day (11) and
Wynton White (eight) were next in line with each of them also providing one pick.
Matthew Perry (six tackles) had the other one.
Defiance did out-gain the Saints 461-356, led by Cameron Turner's 109 yards on 16 carries. Quarterback Jordan Southall completed 15 of his 26 pass attempts for 255 yards.
For the Saints, Webb-Starkey put together a full day by leading the team in rushing (14 carries, 69 yards) and throwing for 218 yards and the two scores on 16-of-28 accuracy.
Notes: USF's 27 points were a season high, while its 14 points allowed were its fewest … Webb-Starkey's rushing and passing yards were both season highs as were his two touchdown strikes … Saturday marked the second time this season that the Saints authored three interceptions … Coming into the game, Engstrom converted his 15 receptions into 112 yards. On Saturday, he had 87 yards via his career-high eight grabs … Strong's five carries were the first of the season for him … Three of
Daniel Rouse's eight stops were recorded as tackles for loss … Guerrero's fake punt of 21 yards was the longest run of his career … The Saints also snapped a four-game streak where they lost the time-of-possession battle by holding a 31:24-28:36 advantage on Saturday.
Up Next
The Saints open MSFA Midwest League play next Saturday when they travel to Elgin, Ill. to face Judson University.
You can keep up with everything happening around USF Athletics on X @USFSaints.
