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Ole Football Drops Third Straight With Loss To St. Thomas, 28-16

Matt Johnson
October 16, 2001

The Ole football team continued to struggle this weekend as they lost to St, Thomas 28-16 at O?Shaunessey Stadium in St. Paul, Minn. The Oles (2-3 MIAC, 3-3 overall) dropped their third consecutive game, and third of the season.

Quarterback Joe Hammond (Sr., Neilsville, Wis.), who was under center for the first time in three weeks after returning from a fractured index finger, paced the Ole offense by completing 6 of 21 passes for 231 yards.

After the Tommies went three-and-out on the opening possession, the Oles drove 60 yards down to the St. Thomas one-yard line before three penalties made it fourth and goal from the16. Sean Kooman (So., Mankato, Minn.) then booted the ball through the uprights for a 32-yard field goal, and the Oles led early 3-0. That lead didn?t last long, however, as the Tommies? Nick Ambrasas hooked up with receiver Andrew Hilliard for a 35-yard score a few series later. The Oles went into the half trailing 7-3.

Ambrasas wasted no time getting things going in the second half as he found Hilliard again for a 25-yard score to stretch the Tommies? lead to 14-3. After the Tommies whiffed on a field goal attempt, Hammond engineered an 80-yard drive that was capped off by Manuel Spreigl?s (Sr., So. St. Paul, Minn.) two-yard plunge into the end zone. The two-point attempt failed, but the Tommies? lead was cut to 14-9. The Tommies fired back on their ensuing possession, as Ambrasas took it in himself from 23- yards out. The extra point was good, and the Tommies maintained their lead 21-9. This still did not break the Oles, who kept pace with Spreigl?s 12-yard touchdown, set up by Steve Ryan?s (Sr., So. St. Paul, Minn.) 53-yard reception from Joe Hammond. In the end, the clock ran out on the Oles, who threatened to score with 15 seconds remaining. But a fumble gave the ball back to the Tommies, who kneeled on the ball, draining the clock and the Oles victory hopes.

Spreigl carried 22 times for 93 yards and 2 touchdowns for the Oles. Ryan paced the Ole receiving core with three catches for 90 yards, while Brian Sprout (Sr. Lake City, Minn.) added 64 yards on six catches. Matt Lafferty (Jr, Apple Valley, Minn.) paced the Ole defense with15 tackles, three for a loss. Free Safety Chad Thomas (Jr, Menomonie, Wis.) contributed 10 tackles, while Dan Meyers (Jr, Cannon Falls, Minn.) had nine. Defensive Lineman Jim Struble (Sr, Sparta, Wis.) continued to wreak havoc on the line, collecting two sacks and three tackles for a loss totaling to 20 yards for the Tommies.

Next up, the Oles will take on the Concordia-Moorhead Cobbers at 1:00 PM on Saturday, October 20, at home. The Cobbers (2-3 MIAC, 3-3 overall) are currently tied for sixth place with the Oles.

Contact Judy Stromayer at 507-786-3315 or stromaye@stolaf.edu.