SAINT PETER, Minn. - The Gustavus football team rushed for a season-high 314 yards Saturday in a 21-10 win over St. Olaf at Hollingsworth Field, improving to 5-3 overall and 4-2 in the MIAC.
River Wood led the ground game with a career-high 208 yards on 23 carries and a long touchdown of 87 yards. The Gustie defensive secondary covered a lot of ground with four interceptions for 68 yards.
Gustavus started the scoring on its first drive of the first quarter as
Jacob Ginskey connected with Cade Kleinschmidt for a 32-yard touchdown pass, finishing off a nine-play, 87-yard drive. On the ensuing Ole drive, Landon Goebel intercepted a pass at the Gustie 10-yard line and returned it 54 yards, but the Gusties couldn't convert the turnover into points with a three-and-out on the next possession.
Following a Gustie fumble recovered by the Oles at midfield, the visitors were able to get on the scoreboard with a 12-yard touchdown pass, making the score 7-7 at the end of the first quarter. Both defenses shined in the second quarter with zero points scored throughout the second 15-minute phase of the game.
St. Olaf gained a 10-7 lead midway through the third quarter, capping a nine-play, 59-yard drive with a 21-yard field goal. The Gusties regained the advantage late in the third as
River Wood got loose up the right sideline for a career-long 87-yard touchdown run. Midway through the fourth quarter and facing a fourth-and-one on their own 39-yard line, the Gusties went up 21-10 as
De'Marion Brown found a wide open seam up the middle for a 61-yard touchdown run - his team-leading seventh rushing score of the season.
Goebel hauled in his second interception of the game late in the fourth, while
William Hawkins added another on St. Olaf's last possession to seal the victory.
The Gusties out-gained the Oles 461-331 in total yards. The Gustie run defense limited the Oles to just 11 yards on the ground.
Behind Wood's career-high 208 rushing yards, Brown finished with 89 yards on 12 carries and a touchdown. Ginskey left the game with an injury after completing 4-of-8 passes for 48 yards and a touchdown.
George Sandven finished out the game, completing 7-of-16 passes for 99 yards. Kleinschmidt was the top target with three catches for 79 yards and a score.
Jake Breitbach also left the game with an injury but finished with two catches for seven yards to pass Gustavus Athletics Hall of Famer Chad Arlt for the program record in career receptions, now with 223.
As he has done basically all season long,
Carson DeKam led the defense with 13 tackles, 10 of which were solo.
Myshawn King continued to add to his team lead in sacks with two on the day and now has 8.0 this season.
Owen Forsythe played a key role in the field position game, averaging 43.3 yards between six punts with a long of 64 yards and two inside the 20.
Gustavus hits the road next Saturday for a MIAC matchup at Carleton.
