Gabe is Abel to lead Tommies to fifth-straight win, extends Tommies regular-season home-winning streak to 35

St. Paul, Minn. – With a next-man-up mentality, freshman RB Gabe Abel earned his first collegiate start and rushed the Tommies to a 26-14 victory over Drake behind a 100 yard rushing and three touchdown performance.

With the win, St. Thomas improves to 5-1 overall with a mark of 3-0 in Pioneer Football League action, and push the Tommies regular-season home-winning streak to 35 games.

For the first time this season, the Tommies opening drive didn't produce a touchdown and the opponents did, putting St. Thomas in an early 7-0 deficit.

After a great punt from senior QB Cade Sexauer pinned the Bulldogs deep in their end zone to start a Drake drive that ended with an interception in the hands of junior DB Grif Wurtz.

Sophomore WR Andrew McElroy, who leads the Pioneer Football League in all-purpose yards, caught a 24-yard touchdown strike from senior Sexauer as the first quarter ended capping off a two-play 30-yard drive.

The Bulldogs first drive of the second quarter stalled out, giving the Tommies the ball at their own 20-yard line. The Purple went on an 11-play, 80-yard drive capped off with a six-yard touchdown run by Abel, his first collegiate touchdown. The point after try doinked off the right up-right leaving the St. Thomas lead at 13-7 with 8:38 to play in the first half.

St. Thomas would score again in the second quarter, another rushing touchdown by Abel, his second of the day opening a 20-7 lead with 2:16 to play in the half. Drake would add a touchdown with 11 seconds to play in the first half, bringing the score to 20-14 in favor of the Tommies at the break.

The Tommies out-gained the Bulldogs in the opening half, 237 to 173, including out-gaining Drake in the rushing column, 100 yards to 36 from Drake. The St. Thomas defense limited Drake to a 2-of-5 showing on third-down attempts.

Individually, Abel posted 36 rushing yards on 12 attempts with two touchdowns in the first 30 minutes of play. McElroy posted 51-yard receiving yards in the first half, while Sexauer completed 11-of-14 passing attempts for 137 yards and a touchdown.

The third quarter saw a combined six punts and a fumble leaving the game at a 20-14 score in favor of the Tommies, who held the Bulldogs to 0-of-4 on third down attempts and 39 yards in the quarter.

The lone points of the second half came by way of a five-yard touchdown scamper by Abel, his third score of the game. The highlight play of the scoring drive was a 33-yard run by Abel, setting up himself up to earn the hat trick on the next play.

The Tommies finished with 249 rushing yards with 173 of them coming from the duo of Abel and sophomore RB Hope Adebayo. Sexuaer completed 15-of-25 passes for 181 yards, one touchdown and an interception. McElroy led the team with 67 receiving yards.

As a team, St. Thomas held Drake to a 4-of-14 (28%) showing on third down attempts, 0-of-1 on fourth down tries and recorded two interceptions.

St. Thomas continues PFL action next Saturday as it travels to Clinton, S.C. to face the Presbyterian Blue Hose. Kickoff is slated 12:00 p.m. central.

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Team Stats

Cade Sexauer

Players Mentioned

Hope Adebayo

Andrew McElroy

Cade Sexauer

Grif Wurtz