No. 12 Benedictine Football showed off a little bit of everything, and a lot of some other things, in a record-setting, 84-12 home win on Saturday. The Ravens scored touchdowns on offense, defense and special teams.
Benedictine scored 35 points in the opening quarter with the first score coming on a three-yard touchdown pass from Shaefer Schuetz to Aaron Jackson. The next score came about 90 seconds later after the Ravens defense forced a punt. Marquis Stewart rushed into the end zone from 18 yards out as Benedictine took a quick 13-0 lead. There was plenty more to come for Benedictine.
The Ravens defense held the Yellowjackets again, forcing another punt. Two plays later, Charlie Nihart took off for a 56-yard touchdown rush to make it 20-0.
The next score came courtesy of the Ravens defense. Graceland's Preston Compton dropped back to pass but was sacked and stripped of the ball by Jalen James, who scooped up the ball and ran in from 12 yards out to make it 27-0.
Graceland was able to score later in the first quarter, then nabbed a defensive touchdown of its own to cut the Ravens lead to 27-12. However, momentum wouldn't stay on the side of the Yellowjackets. The ensuing extra point attempt was blocked and returned for 2 points by Will Alexander to make it 29-12 in favor of the Ravens.
The wild first quarter concluded with a 34-yard touchdown pass from Schuetz to Jackson. Scoring in the second quarter started with another Schuetz pass, this time to Frank Trent for 17 yards.
Later in the second quarter, the Ravens found themselves backed up on their own five yard line. Schuetz dumped off a screen pass to Stewart who used his blockers and raced up the sideline for a 95-yard touchdown.
Schuetz fired his fifth touchdown pass of the half with 53 seconds left in the second quarter, connecting with Jackson one more time for 20 yards to give the Ravens a 56-12 lead at halftime.
In the third quarter, KJ Hart scored on an eight yard run to push the lead up to 63-12. That's when the defense got involved once again. Luke Wozny picked off a Compton pass and took it to the house from 44 yards out to make it 70-12.
The Ravens forced a punt on the next Yellowjackets drive, which Tre Adger returned for 72 yards for a touchdown – his second punt return score in as many weeks. To round out the scoring, Isaac McPherson rushed in from 12 yards in the fourth quarter to give the Ravens 84 points, a new single-game record. The previous record was 76 points in 2017 against Central Methodist University.
Benedictine also tied the program record for first downs in a game with 32. It was the fifth time that mark has been achieved.
Nihart had 100 yards rushing and Stewart finished with 95. Stewart also had 107 receiving yards while Aaron Jackson had five catches for 79 yards. Schuetz finished with 255 yards and five touchdown passes.
Wozny, Demaria Walters and Jacob Wise recorded interceptions for the Ravens. Walters also had five solo tackles and Matt McCullough had four solo tackles. Wozny, James, Ty'ron Jones and McCullough recorded sacks.
The win improves Benedictine's record to 6-1 on the season and 1-0 in the Heart of America North Division. The Ravens hit the road for their next game, a 12 p.m. tilt in Canton, Mo. against Culver-Stockton College. Benedictine returns home Saturday, Oct. 27 for the Homecoming and Hall of Fame Weekend game against William Penn University.
