On Senior Day, a fourth quarter, 32-yard field goal by senior Vinny Pallini secured No. 17 St. Thomas’ 17-7 victory over No. 9 Bethel Saturday at O’Shaughnessy Stadium, giving the Tommies a share of the MIAC title with No. 8 ranked St. John’s.
The Tommies’ defensive efforts and toughness were crucial.
“I think the way that our defense was able to routinely go back on the field and shutdown a very talented offense was huge,” head coach Glenn Caruso said.
Tommie wide receiver Gabe Green intercepts Royal quarterback Jaran Roste’s pass, giving St. Thomas possession. (Jack Stanek/TommieMedia)
The Royals (8-2 overall, 6-2 MIAC) started the game with the ball, but Tommie senior defensive back Nick Raddatz intercepted it at the 43-yard line, giving the Tommies (8-2 overall, 7-1 MIAC) an advantage.
The first score came on a 1-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Tommy Dolan to running back Josh Komis.
Another Tommie score followed at the beginning of the second quarter with a 14-yard touchdown pass from Ronnie Jones, who replaced Dolan, to wide receiver Gabe Green in the south end zone, making the score 14-0.
St. Thomas senior wide receiver Gabe Green scored off a 14-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Ronnie Jones in the second quarter of Saturday’s game at O’Shaughnessy Stadium. (Jack Stanek/TommieMedia)
Jones came into today’s game with a mindset to battle alongside his teammates.
“We knew we were fighting for an opportunity to go to playoffs,” Jones said. “That was obviously a huge impact on our motivation.”
Bethel wide receiver Drew Larson put the Royals on the board with his 10th touchdown of the season on a 23-yard pass from quarterback Jaran Roste.
The game became a seesaw possession battle in the second half with neither team scoring in the third quarter.
A fourth quarter fumble by Jones gave Bethel the ball on the St. Thomas 44-yard line; however, the Royals’ drive didn’t last long as Tommie linebackers Sam Herriges and Alex Taylor sacked Roste on a 4th-and-3.
“The defense stepped up huge,” Jones said. “The team came together and fought really hard for possibly another week.”
Senior outside linebacker Jack Foley recovered a fumble for the Tommies in Saturday’s game against the Royals. (Jack Stanek/TommieMedia)
St. Thomas took possession at the 36-yard line and drove into scoring position.
Senior Vinny Pallini made a 32-yard field goal, putting the Tommies up 17-7 with 5:26 remaining in the fourth quarter. Pallini’s field goal gave his 30 fellow seniors their third MIAC title in four years and an overall record of 39-7.
Before the game, St. Thomas recognized the 31 student-athletes for Senior Day, the largest senior class in program history.
“I’m really happy for our whole team, but predominantly our seniors,” Caruso said. “It hasn’t come easy. We’ve had so much adversity, and they’ve been afflicted in many ways both on and off the field with how the league has treated them, and I think they’ve handled it with tremendous grace, class and unbelievable toughness.”
Caruso added today was bittersweet.
“It is sad, but it’s a good kind of sad. It’s the kind that makes you know that you can give them a hug and kiss at midfield, look them in the eye and know they are prepared for life,” Caruso said. “That’s what means the most to us.”
The Tommies find out Sunday if they will advance to the NCAA Division III football playoffs.
“Hopeful” is the feeling Caruso described going into tomorrow night’s selection show.
Each conference has a representative when it comes to selection process. St. John’s gets the MIAC’s automatic bid because of its earlier victory over St. Thomas.
“Terry Horan at Concordia College is this year’s rep, and if he’s able to share our resume in the appropriate way then I think we should be in decent shape,” Caruso said. “But let me be clear, that it is totally out of our hands at this point. We put ourselves in the best possible situation, and we’ll have to wait until 4:30 like the rest of the country.”
The Division III football championship selection show will air at 4:30 p.m CST Sunday, Nov. 17.
Carly Noble can be reached at nobl1781@stthomas.edu.