The Benedictine University football team opened the season with a 35-0 shutout of Buena Vista University at home on Saturday afternoon.
Neither team was able to score in the opening 15 minutes of the game. Benedictine drove deep onto the Buena Vista side but an interception halted progress. Dino Stephens escaped for a 50-yard run on the final play of the opening quarter to set the stage The run set the stage for quarterback
Jack Moses to plunge in from four yards out on the opening play of the second quarter to put Benedictine on the board. Buena Vista responded with a long drive but a missed field goal handed the ball back to Benedictine. Stephens and the rushing attack took control, driving down to make the score 14-0 when Stephens raced in from 11 yards away with 1:54 left in the half. The rushing attack gained at least nine yards on every carry of the drive and Benedictine went into the break with the lead.
After trading possessions Benedictine used the running game to embark on a drive of over five minutes to grab a 21-0 lead on a five-yard score from Stephens.
Jose Barragan posted a sack to help force a three-and-out. Moses hit
Tristan Weglarz on a 39-yard strike with under a minute to go as the lead reached 28-0.
Negil Bruce broke away early in the fourth for a 50-yard touchdown to finish the scoring.
Benedictine piled up 292 yards on the ground and punted only once. The hosts, who averaged almost nine yards per carry, faced a third down on just six occasions. Moses only needed to throw the ball 10 times and completed seven attempts for 90 yards. Stephens and Bruce both surpassed 100 yards. Stephens finished with 156 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries while Bruce ran nine times for 107 yards.
Alexander Corbett and
Alex Siebens both caught three targets.
The defense allowed just 195 yards.
Brian Pritt logged a pair of sacks.
John Thompson paced the defense with nine tackles.
Dawson Piper finished with eight while
Jack Hayden and Barragan notched seven each.
Robert Goedert broke up three passes.
Jeff Leighliter recorded the only turnover, snaring an interception.Â
