University of St. Thomas Athletics
Augsburg
Football rides turnovers, big weapons in 42-3 win
10/31/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
No. 15-ranked St. Thomas picked off five passes, recovered a fumble in the end zone, and got another Fritz Waldvogel kick return touchdown to lead Saturday's 42-3 victory over Augsburg in MIAC football at O'Shaughnessy Stadium.
The Tommies (7-1 overall, 6-1 MIAC), who avenged a 22-20 loss at Augsburg last season, rolled up 25 first downs, 308 rushing yards and 519 total yards. They improved to 19-0 against Augsburg at O'Shaughnessy Stadium since 1970.
Coach Glenn Caruso's Tommies secured a top-three conference finish for the second year in a row and kept alive their NCAA playoff hopes. The Toms play Bethel next Saturday in Arden Hills in a showdown game with postseason implications.
Waldvogel accompllished something rare and possibly unprecedented by an NCAA player as he returned the opening kickoff for a TD for the second week in a row. His 74-yard TD return last week helped UST top Carleton, and Saturday he returned the first play 87 yards to the end zone against the Auggies.
Waldvogel finished with 188 all-purpose yards, including six catches for 71 yards. He has five TD returns on punts or kickoffs -- plus two other kickoff returns of 55 yards or longer -- in his last 12 games. The sophomore also had three TD returns in 2007 as a high school senior at St. Thomas Academy. In 18 career games Walvogel has 17 gains of 38 or more yards on returns, receptions or rushes.
Sophomore QB Dakota Tracy made his first career start and guided the offense to 420 yards and four TDs in three quarters of play. Tracy completed 11-of-22 passes for 185 yards and two TDs, and also rushed eight times for 51 yards. UST led just 7-3 and faced 3rd-and 19 from the 21-yard-line when Tracy hit Wartman on a 21-yard TD throw to the back of the end zone.
Junior Ben Wartman (108) and soph Colin Tobin (102) each surpassed 100 yards rushing -- the fourth time in the last 10 games that UST has had two 100-yard rushers. That helped the Tommies compile a 519-320 advantage in total offense. It's the 14th time in 16 games as a running back that Wartman has surpassed 100. The junior also rushed for a touchdown and caught a TD pass, and has scored 31 touchdowns in 18 career games at running back, including 18 this season.
Tobin has 10 TDs and has rushed for 858 yards (8.0 ypc) in his last 10 games.
Senior PK Brady Beeson made all six PAT kicks and has converted 35-of-35 in his seven MIAC games.
Augsburg's Jack Christopherson drilled a career-best 40-yard field goal five minutes into the game to pull his team within 7-3. Augsburg's top-20 ranked D-III passing attack was limited to 219 yards and no TDs as it was hurt by the six turnovers.
For the UST defense, Wyatt Delgado had a forced fumble and an interception, Cyrus Allen recovered a fumble in the end zone, and Brady Ervin, Tommy Becker, Kirk Baglien and Mike Valesano had pickoffs.
Senior tight end Jake Friederichs caught two passes for 51 yards, including a 14-yard TD in the third quarter. Friederichs has eight touchdown catches in his last 13 games.
The Auggies missed out on three prime scoring chances on two possessions in the second half. Late in the third quarter, they fumbled at the goal line after a catch and run and saw the Toms recover for a touchback. Later, the Auggies dropped a wide-open potential TD pass in the end zone off a flea flicker, then a few plays later threw an interception on 4th-and-goal.
Auggie QB Marcus Brumm completed 22-of-49 for 219 yards with the five picks. Muneer Al-Hameed had eight catches for 91 yards and Mike Nourie had eight catches for 88 yards. Marvin Riedewald came off the bench after an injury and gained 59 yards on 15 carries. On defense, Tyler Judkins had an interception, and Adam Mead had a blocked field goal and eight tackles.
Click here for box score:
www.tommiesports.com/ftbl/stats/10-31-fb.htm
Click here to view more Greg Smith action photos:
Jake Friederichs (86) scored his eighth career TD. (Greg Smith photo)
Coach Glenn Caruso likes what he sees from Ben Wartman (8) (Greg Smith photo)
Wyatt Delgado (42) and Mike Valesano (40) pressure the Auggie QB. (Greg Smith photo)
