SAINT PETER, Minn. – The Gustavus Adolphus College football team hosted the St. Olaf College Oles on Saturday for their Homecoming game. The Gusties dominated the ground game, scoring four rushing touchdowns with 187 rushing yards for a 5.7 yards per carry average as a team as they took down the Oles 37-3 to improve to 3-2 overall and 2-2 in the MIAC.
After their defense forced St. Olaf to punt away the first possession of the game,
Walker Hennen burst through the line on the first play of the day for the Gustavus offense and outran the entire Oles defense to score a 60-yard touchdown and give the Gusties an early lead right out the gate.
Gustavus struck again in the second quarter, only this time instead of a single play it was a 12-play, 80-yard drive that ended with Hennen rushing in from two-yards out for his second touchdown of the day.
The Gusties took a 13-0 lead into halftime, though St. Olaf ended the shut out on their first drive of the second half by kicking a 45-yard field goal.
Later in the third quarter, Gustavus found their rhythm and, starting at their own 29-yard line, strung together a 10-play, 71-yard touchdown drive to take a 20-3 lead over St. Olaf. The Gusties scored on a 2
nd and 5 from the Oles 34-yard line as
Jacob Ginskey found
Liam Frommelt in the flat along the far sideline as the junior receiver went on to win a footrace to the end zone.
Gustavus got the ball back at the very end of the third quarter as
Andrew Bartnes picked off the Oles. Hennen then rumbled for 24 yards to set up the Gusties in St. Olaf's side of the field to begin the fourth. The junior running back went on to finish the seven-play, 60-yard drive with a 16-yard touchdown run, putting Gustavus up 27-3 with his third score of the day.
On the ensuing possession for the Oles, the Gusties forced a three-and-out.
Caleb Aflakpi then blocked the St. Olaf punt to set up Gustavus deep in the Oles' territory on the 19-yard line. Four plays later,
Alex Gross forced his way into the end zone on a 10-yard touchdown run to put the Gusties up 34-3.
The Gustavus defense forced another St. Olaf three-and-out on their next possession with a pass break up on first down by
Max Olson, a rush that was stopped for no gain on second down by Aflakpi, and a sack on third down by
Drew Kretlow that set the Oles back another seven yards.
After fielding a 15-yard punt, the Gusties were set up at the St. Olaf 33-yard line. Gustavus went on to kick a field goal as
Jack Sieben hit a 41-yarder to give the Gusties a 37-3 lead that they would take to the final whistle.
Walker led the Gustavus ground attack with 140 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 6.3 yards per carry against the Oles. Ginskey completed 20-of-32 passes for 192 yards and a touchdown. Frommelt led the Gustavus receiving core with seven catches for 106 yards and a touchdown.
On defense, Olson had seven tackles, half a tackle for loss, a pass breakup, and two quarterback hits. Bartness had four tackles and an interception. Kretlow had five tackles and a sack.
Up next for the Gusties is a road trip up to Duluth to take on the College of St. Scholastica Saints next Saturday, October 17 at 1:00 p.m.
