Johnnies split a pair of top-10 matchups

The St. John’s University football team started their season playing two high-ranked teams.

The currently No. 9 Johnnies started their season fifth in the Top 25 among DIII schools and took on the then No. 4 (now 6) ranked Tigers from Trinity University (Texas). Entering half-time of the home opener, the Johnnies trailed by a score of 21-7; the second half was a different story.

Defensively, the Johnnies succeeded in front of the home crowd, keeping the Tigers’ offense at bay as they only surrendered 10 second-half points. On the offensive side of the ball, the Johnnies scored 24 points, including two touchdowns from junior transfer Marselio Mendez, and they knotted the game up at 31 as time expired on the clock.

Mendez may not have been put in that position if not for injuries to two of the Johnnies’ fifth-year receivers, Nick VanErp and Jimmy Buck. “We are probably as deep as we’ve been in terms of pass-catchers since I’ve been here,” fifth-year quarterback Aaron Syverson said. “We try to get as many throws in with everyone as we can in practice to prepare for situations like those.”

Junior Conor Murphy and fifth-year Cayden Saxon made key plays as the former drilled a 35-yard field goal and the latter came up with the game-sealing interception to edge Trinity 34-31 in a season-opening barn burner victory for the Johnnies.

“This team is very resilient. To be down 17 points against Trinity in the fourth quarter and come back to win is huge,” Syverson said.

This past weekend, the Johnnies traveled to UW-Whitewater to take on the No. 8 ranked Warhawks in another top-10 non-conference showdown.

Both offenses proved to be powerful as the first half was a high-scoring affair. When the first two quarters were finished, the score was all square at 21 a piece. The Johnnies would open the second half running eight plays for 71 yards, which gave the Johnnies their first lead of the game. However, that would be all the offense could muster as they were unable to put anything else on the board. The Warhawks offense took advantage of their stout defensive play and scored five unanswered touchdowns, giving them the victory by a score of 56-28.

Despite playing two top-10 opponents, the Johnnies have still come away 1-1 and say they have a lot to improve on.

“We have struggled defensively on third downs, and we need to be way better on the defensive front,” head coach Gary Fasching said. “Our offense has been pretty good, but we do have to improve the run game.”

According to VanErp, execution seems to be the common theme for what the Johnnies need to do better going forward.

“Knowing our roles and being able to execute those roles is going to be the biggest part,” VanErp said.

Syverson added that football is mostly based on discipline and execution and that is what the players and coaches have emphasized going forward. Although the Johnnies could have played two easier games to start the year, it is important for the team to face some good nonconference teams to prepare themselves for the harder games they may play later in the year.

“Having two really tough games to start a year can help us get over that hump of the second round where we haven’t been able to get past the last two years,” Syverson said. “We’ve played two playoff-type games already this year. To be able to put yourself through that environment twice and see what people do under pressure will help you when you get to those situations because we’ve already been in two of those types of games so far.”

VanErp added that the team has come into this year angry and even had wristbands made last spring to serve as a constant reminder of how the team didn’t do what they wanted in the playoffs. With two games under their belt, the Johnnies get an early bye-week this upcoming weekend. SJU opens MIAC play on Sept. 23, as they take on the Bethel Royals (0-1) during Family Weekend.

Last season, the Johnnies split with the Royals as each team defended their home turf. The Royals beat the Johnnies 28-24 at Bethel; the Johnnies then beat the Royals 28-10 in Collegeville.

“We’re all angry about this last weekend, so we’re ready to make up for that,” VanErp said. “If we can be the ones to hit them first, it will set the tone for that game.”

Fasching added that no game is more important than any other game, but they will have to be at their best to beat Bethel. With areas to fine-tune and clean up in the first couple of weeks, the bye-week just might be what the Johnnies need.

“This week will be big because Jimmy [Buck] and VanErp still aren’t practicing, so trying to keep getting work in with those new guys will be huge,” Syverson said.

There is no shortage of experience or talent up and down the roster, and this team still has championship aspirations.

“Our goals are a MIAC championship and a deep playoff run,” VanErp said. “Our experience helps us because it’s important once we get into those big games where it’s needed to have the experience to carry out what we need to do.”

The Johnnies say they have a lot to look forward to as they continue their season towards those playoff goals.

“Our expectation every year is to win the conference and make a run in the playoffs,” Fasching said. “We need to concentrate each week on the game that week and try to be better each day in practice.”