First-year running back Gabe Abel rushed for three touchdowns and 100 yards in the St. Thomas football team’s 26-14 win over Drake Saturday at O’Shaughnessy Stadium on homecoming weekend.
The win extended the Tommies’ regular season home win streak to 35 games. Last season, the Tommies (5-1, 3-0 Pioneer Football) defeated Drake 21-14 on the road in Des Moines, Iowa.
The Bulldogs (0-7, 0-4 PFL) are the first team this season to keep the Tommies out of the end zone on their opening drive. Drake stopped the Tommies on fourth-and-1 for a turnover on downs on the Tommies’ opening drive.
Instead, it was the Bulldogs who scored on their opening drive as senior quarterback Ian Corwin connected with senior defensive back Gage Vander Leest on a 2-yard pass.
St. Thomas stopped the Bulldogs on their second drive as junior defensive back Grif Wurtz intercepted Corwin’s pass at the Drake 30-yard line.
Two plays later, St. Thomas senior quarterback Cade Sexauer found the end zone, hitting sophomore wide receiver Andrew McElroy for a 24-yard score to tie the game at seven.
Sexauer finished the game with 181 yards through the air.
Abel’s first touchdown came with 8:28 left in the second quarter as he rushed for six yards through traffic.
Abel and sophomore running back Hope Adebayo split time in the first half, with Abel leading the team in rushing.
Sophomore running back Shawn Shipman did not play in the game.
Abel scored again on the following St. Thomas drive on a 1-yard rush after a near-TD rush by Sexauer put the Tommies in a fourth-and-inches situation at the goal line.
During the final 2:10 of the first half, the Bulldogs played hurry-up as they took it 72 yards in 1:59 for a touchdown as Corwin connected with graduate student tight end Matt Hartlieb for an 8-yard score.
St. Thomas held Drake scoreless in the second half, limiting the Bulldogs to just six first downs. The Bulldogs have been held to 14 or less points in 6-of-7 games this season.
Abel’s final touchdown came early in the fourth quarter on a 5-yard rush down the middle through a sea of defenders. A play prior, Abel set up his own touchdown with a 33-yard breakaway rush down the field. The rush was St. Thomas’ long of the day.
Despite having a few chances late in the game, the Bulldogs were stuffed by the Tommies, who held the Bulldogs to 50 yards rushing and picked up an interception.
The Tommies possessed the ball for the final 3:43 of play to finish the game.
The Tommies take on Presbyterian Saturday, Oct. 22 at noon Central in Clinton, South Carolina.
Cam Kauffman can be reached at kauf8536@stthomas.edu.