St. Olaf’s defense put forth its best performance of the year, holding Augsburg to only 301 yards of total offense, including a mere 42 yards on the ground. Captain John Davis ’06 lead the defense with 8 tackles, including one tackle for a 13-yard loss and two interceptions. Cornerback Matt Dean ’06 recorded 7.5 tackles, with safety Dan Klopp ’06 earning 4.5 tackles and defending two passes.

“It was great to finally have the defense come together,” defensive end Ben Veach ’07 said. “We finally put up a goose egg. And it was good to play well for the seniors. Everyone got into the game.”

True to form, St. Olaf’s offense had no trouble scoring against Augsburg, tallying 35 first half points, including 28 in the first quarter. Quarterback Jason Wilsey ’06 led the offense with 381 passing yards on 22 completions. Wilsey also caught a pass from wide receiver Andrew Schmesing ’08 for a 22 yard gain.

Schmesing led the Oles in receiving, earning 207 yards on eight receptions, scoring three touchdowns. Wide receiver Preston St. John ’08 caught four passes for 64 yards, with receiver Horace Gant ’08 pulling in three catches for 53 yards. Running back Jay Higgins ’08 caught five passes out of the backfield for 54 yards.

Chris Feehan ’07 led St. Olaf’s rushing attack, carrying the ball 11 times for 63 yards. Higgins earned 47 yards on five carries, and Evan Endsley ’09 added 83 yards on only three carries.

Though the game might have belonged to the Oles, the day belonged to Wilsey. With his performance against Augsburg, Wilsey broke St. Olaf’s single season passing record, accumulating 2,591 yards through the air. Wilsey finishes the season having completed nearly 62 percent of his passes, thowing 26 touchdowns and only seven interceptions. His 284-yards/game passing average makes him the top-rated offensive player in the MIAC. With a quarterback rating of 162.52, Wilsey is also the MIAC’s top passer. The Oles have gone 15-5 with Wilsey as the starter the past two seasons.

“Our quarterback was great,” Gant said. “Best in the MIAC, no doubt.” In addition to his playing abilities, teammates also praised Wilsey for the leadership he has demonstrated both on and off the field.

“He dedicated himself to the season,” said tackle Jeremy Thomas ’07. “Every time he came to the huddle, he was confident in himself, and in us.”

With the departure of so many talented seniors, including Wilsey, Dean, Davis, Pete Cathcart, Trey Williams, Tony De La Hunt and Andre Conner, the Oles will count on a solid group of younger players to step into key roles next season.

The departing Oles are confident that their younger teammates will continue the winning tradition they have established.

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