Area college football: Tommies top San Diego in overtime; Bethel clinches MIAC title
Hope Adebayo scored on a 16-yard run in the extra period as the University of St. Thomas survived its first overtime game in 13 seasons with a 20-14 victory over San Diego in a Pioneer Football League game Saturday in San Diego, Calif.
Adebayo, a former Simley High School star from Inver Grove Heights, finished with 85 yards rushing and two touchdowns for the Tommies (7-3, 6-1). He became the school’s first running back in the two-year Division I era to score multiple touchdowns in three consecutive games. He has scored six of his eight touchdowns this season in the past three games, leading St. Thomas to PFL victories in all three, over Stetson, Marist and San Diego.
Johnson Fallah and Grif Wurtz had two interceptions apiece, and Jack Mohler had nine tackles for St. Thomas.
The Tommies’ last overtime game was during the 2010 season when they beat former MIAC rival St. John’s 27-26.
Bethel 31, Gustavus Adolphus 7
The Royals (8-2) clinched their sixth league title and first since 2013 by routing the Gusties (6-4) in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship game at Royal Stadium in Arden Hills, Minn. Aaron Ellingson rushed for a career-high 224 yards and three touchdowns to lead Bethel, and the defense intercepted four passes and got 10 tackles from Matt Jung.
The Royals clinched the MIAC’s automatic berth into the NCAA Division III playoffs, which begin next weekend. The full tournament field will be announced on Sunday afternoon.
St. John’s 48, Concordia (Moorhead) 21
Aaron Syverson was 35 of 51 passing for 440 yards and five touchdowns as the Johnnies (8-2) wrapped up their regular season with an MIAC Week victory over the Cobbers (5-5) in Moorhead, Minn. St. John’s will learn its Division III playoff fate on Sunday. The Johnnies are expected to receive a spot in the postseason field.
Macalester 40, St. Scholastica 20
Michael Nadeau completed 36 of 55 passes for 409 yards and four touchdowns as the Scots (3-7) closed out their season with a convincing MIAC win over the Saints (2-8) in St. Paul. Nadeau’s favorite receiver was Logan Pampel, who had 10 catches for 106 yards and three touchdowns. Pampel also ran for a touchdown.
Nadeau’s seventh career game with at least 400 yards passing gives him a school-record 9,936 passing yards in four stellar seasons at Macalester. He also holds program records for career touchdown passes (84), completions (847) and attempts (1,402).
Wayne State 56, Concordia-St Paul 21
Peter Udoibok caught six passes for 141 yards, including a third-quarter touchdown on a reverse pass from fellow wide receiver Troy Ellison, but the Golden Bears (3-8, 2-8) were routed in their season finale by the Wildcats (8-3, 7-3) in a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference game at Sea Foam Stadium in St. Paul. The Wayne State defense held Concordia-St. Paul to 38 yards rushing and an average of 1.9 yards per carry.
South Dakota State 34, Youngstown State 0
The unbeaten Jackrabbits (10-0, 7-0), ranked No. 1 un FBS, clinched a share of the Missouri Valley Football Conference championship with a shutout victory over the Penguins (6-4, 4-3) in Youngstown, Ohio. South Dakota State rolled up 490 yards of total offense as it extended its winning streak to 24 games dating back to last season.
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