University of St. Thomas Athletics
Bethel
Football can't hold late lead in 19-18 loss
9/29/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
Freshman Logan Flannery rushed for 159 yards, including the go-ahead 18-yard TD run with 5:20 to play, as visiting Bethel (4-1 overall, 3-0 MIAC) escaped with a 19-18 victory over the Tommies (0-4, 0-2) in Saturday¹s MIAC football game at O'Shaughnessy Stadium.
Senior DB Ryan Herm had an interception and a fumble recovery for the Royals, who ran their MIAC winning streak to nine games dating back to 2006.
But Bethel needed scoring drives of 71 and 77 yards in the fourth quarter to rally from an 18-7 deficit.
After falling behind 7-0 in the first 6:06, the Tommies scored three unanswered touchdowns. Jake Casey¹s one-yard touchdown run, his second of the game, with 14:14 left pushed the lead to 18-7.
Ben Wetzell¹s one-yard pass to Alex King on 4-and-goal with 10:18 left let the Royals cut the lead to 18-13. That capped a 10-play, 71-yard drive with the benefit of a stiff wind.
After a third-down sack and a Tommie punt, Bethel marched 77 yards in seven plays for the go-ahead score. The Tommies appeared set to end the drive with a punt, but a pass interference call on 3rd-and-10 at the UST 42-yard-line gave the Royals a first down at the 32. Three plays and one Tommie penalty later, Flannery scooted into the end zone for a 19-18 lead.
St. Thomas took the kickoff and marched into Bethel territory in the final 3:30 but QB David Sauer fumbled after a nifty first-down run. Herm recovered at the Bethel 29-yard line to kill the Toms¹ last solid chance.
Wetzell completed 13-of-20 for 108 yards and one pickoff, and rushed 15 times for 59 yards. Aaron Bernstett caught four passes for 39 yards.
UST regained possession at its own 20-yard-line with 33 seconds left with no timeouts and managed just one first down before time expired.
Bethel gained 152 yards in the pivotal fourth quarter but was still outgained 348-299 yards in total offense. Bethel lost 47 yards of offense on a starnge second-quarter play when a high snap on a Bethel punt rolled toward the end zone for an expected safety. But the Bethel punter kicked the ball out of the end zone, drawing a penalty that gave the ball to UST at the spot of the foul at the Royals¹ 3-yard line. Casey¹s three-yard scoring run pulled UST within 7-6.
For St. Thomas, Casey rushed 21 times for 86 yards, and Sauer completed 21-of-38 for 213 yards and rushed 12 times for 50 yards. Tony Margarit had five catches for 83 yards, and P.J. Theisen had five receptions for 57 yards including a 6-yard TD catch with 1:09 left in the first half. Sophomore punter A.C. Clouthier averaged 40 yards on four punts and pinned Bethel once at the one-yard line. Senior Pat Sommerstad had 10 tackles and a pass break-up.
Next Saturday, the Tommies play at Carleton, while Bethel is home to face Gustavus.
Click here to see box score:
http://www.tommiesports.com/ftbl/stats/9-29-FB.HTM
Game photos by Greg Smith available for online purchase:
http://www.gsmithsports.com/g/coming_soon_ust_vs_bu_9-29-07&gallery_page=&gallery_all=&view=1&photo_page=12#photo_s
