Johnnies beat Oles in overtime

Mike Ludwig
October 25, 2008

NORTHFIELD, Minn. - Joe Boyle scored on a one-yard run in overtime as Saint John's defeated the St. Olaf football team 20-14 on Saturday afternoon at Manitou Field.

St. Olaf, which had the ball first in overtime, completed a pass on its first play of the extra session to Ryan St. John, but he then fumbled and the Johnnies recovered.

St. Olaf had a chance to win in the closing seconds, but Josiah Powell's 22-yard low-lining field goal attempt was blocked.

Tyler Jones picked off Boyle with 4:15 left to set up the field goal attempt. The interception was the Oles' second of the day.

St. Olaf, which trailed 14-7 in the fourth, tied the game with 5:14 left in regulation on Evan Endsley's second score. The touchdown run finished an 11-play, 51-yard drive.

The host Oles opened the scoring on Endsley's two-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.

St. Olaf held SJU to 201 yards of total offense and 99 yards came on one drive, a scoring march that ended the first half.

St. Olaf seemingly ended the Johnnies' drive with a third down stop. SJU then went for it on fourth down, converted, and two plays later Boyle avoided a sack and threw a 26-yard touchdown strike to Ben Vanderheyden as time expired.

The Johnnies then took a 14-7 lead on a five-yard run by Jakob Redding with 7:33 left in the third. St. Olaf had stopped SJU on a 3rd-and-goal, but was flagged for a late hit on the previous play.

The SJU scoring drive was set up by a Bobby Klint interception, returned the Oles' 15-yard line.

The Oles (3-4, 1-4 MIAC) have lost four straight since starting the year 3-0 and are under .500 for the first time since 2003. The team travels to Concordia College-Moorhead next Saturday for a 1 p.m. game.

Contact media relations specialist Mike Ludwig at (507) 786-3834 or ludwigm@stolaf.edu.