ST. LOUIS – The Pioneer Football League standings tightened considerably in Week 11 action as league leaders Drake and Presbyterian each suffered losses, while St. Thomas and San Diego picked up wins to leave five teams within a game of the title with two weeks remaining.
Davidson delivered the big upset, using two first-quarter touchdowns to down nationally-ranked Presbyterian. St. Thomas won its fifth consecutive game by downing league-unbeaten Drake on a snowy Drake Stadium field. Morehead State scored with 52 seconds left to overcome Butler for its fourth consecutive win. San Diego pulled away in the second half to win at Valparaiso, while Marist used a big second quarter to get past Stetson at home..
PFL Scoreboard: Week 11
Saturday, Nov. 8
St. Thomas def. Drake, 20-13
Davidson def. Presbyterian, 14-13
Morehead State def. Butler, 31-30
San Diego def. Valparaiso, 43-27
Marist def. Stetson, 41-13
PFL Recaps
St. Thomas def. Drake, 20-13
DES MOINES, Iowa – Gabe Abel’s third-quarter touchdown run proved to be the game-winner as St. Thomas defeated Drake, 20-13, on a snowy Drake Stadium field. The teams traded touchdowns early, with Stefano Giovannelli running for a six-yard score to give St. Thomas a lead late in the first quarter before Logan Inagawa leveled the score with a two-yard touchdown run on Drake’s following possession. After each team connected on field goals, the game was tied 10-10 at halftime. Abel broke the tie with 45 seconds remaining in the third quarter, and neither team could muster more than a single field goal in the fourth quarter. Andy Peters led St. Thomas with a 13-for-21 passing for 121 yards and ran for 66 yards on 15 carries. Drake’s Logan Inagawa passed for 154 yards on 14-of-22 passing and ran for 37 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries.
Davidson def. Presbyterian, 14-13
DAVIDSON, N.C. – Two Coulter Cleland touchdown throws in the opening quarter stood the test of time as Davidson held on for a 14-13 upset win of nationally-ranked Presbyterian. Cleland passed for touchdowns of 18 yards and three yards in the first quarter, giving Davidson a 14-0 lead. Presbyterian got one of those touchdowns back midway through the second quarter on Ty Englehart’s seven-yard run, but missed the PAT and settled for a 14-6 halftime deficit. The Blue Hose scored on a Zach Switzer run with 6:51 remaining in the third quarter and the PAT made it a one-point game. Presbyterian would punt twice before Davidson intercepted a pass on its final possession to seal the win. Cleland completed 9-of-17 passes for 97 yards and two touchdowns. Presbyterian ran for 228 yards on 42 carries and two touchdowns.
Morehead State def. Butler, 31-30
MOREHEAD, Ky. – For the third time in its last four games, Morehead State scored with less than two minutes remaining to topple Butler 31-30 at Phil Simms Stadium. Carter Cravens found Ryan Upp for a seven-yard touchdown pass with 52 seconds left in the game for the game-winning score on Saturday. Butler took a 24-17 lead into halftime after Ryan Short’s 45-yard field goal with 47 seconds left in the half. Morehead State tied the game after a strip-sack set up a short field, which the Eagles offense capitalized on four plays later with Jakson Lanier’s three-yard run. Short would help Butler push its lead back to six points with field goals of 44 and 43 yards, the later coming with 3:33 left in the game. But Cravens led Morehead State on a 14-play, 75-yard drive capped by the game-winning toss. Cravens completed 23-of-31 passes for 298 yards and two touchdowns. Butler’s Reagan Andrew completed 13-of-20 passes for 103 yards.
San Diego def. Valparaiso, 43-27
VALPARAISO, Ind. – San Diego scored 23 points in the final 22:30 to escape Valparaiso with a 43-27 victory on Brown Field. Through the first three quarters and a half, Valparaiso’s defense and special teams units helped keep it in touch with San Diego. D. Yeats scored the Beacons' first touchdown with a 28-yard interception return for a touchdown, trimming the Toreros' lead to 10-7. Ryan Ricketti’s 100-yard kickoff return gave Valparaiso a 21-20 lead with 10:44 remaining in the third quarter. But San Diego responded with the game’s next 16 points, including two Matt Colombo rushing touchdowns, to build a 36-21 lead that Valparaiso could not overcome. Colombo’s two touchdowns capped a 15-carry, 121-yard performance while Adam Criter ran for two touchdowns on 26 carries and 117 yards. Rowan Keefe completed 19-of-30 passes for 234 yards and three touchdowns.
Marist def. Stetson, 41-13
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – Marist used a 28-point second quarter en route to a 41-13 victory against Stetson at Tenney Stadium. Sonny Mannino ran for two touchdowns and passed for two in the decisive second quarter. He finished the day passing for 187 yards and two touchdowns on 8-of-15 passing and ran for 57 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries. Stetson ran for 150 yards on 43 carries with Cayden Betts rushing for a touchdown as part of a 13-carry, 63-yard outing.