ST. PAUL, Minn. — Stetson threw for 334 yards and recorded 24 first downs Saturday afternoon, but St. Thomas pulled away for a 64-21 victory over the Hatters at O'Shaughnessy Stadium.
Thomas von Grote completed 28 of 52 passes for 296 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. Wyatt Rogers led the receiving corps with nine catches for 94 yards and a touchdown, while Shawne Jones added eight receptions for 77 yards and a score. Chris Stephenson contributed in multiple ways, rushing six times for 74 yards and a touchdown while completing all four of his pass attempts for 38 yards.
Stetson fell to 1-5 overall and 0-2 in Pioneer Football League play, while St. Thomas improved to 5-2 overall and 2-1 in conference action.
The Tommies opened the scoring with a 26-yard touchdown pass midway through the first quarter, but the Hatters answered with an 11-play, 75-yard drive. Facing fourth down near midfield, von Grote connected with Jones to move the chains before Troy Flowers broke off a 25-yard run to push Stetson into the red zone. Von Grote finished the possession by finding Rogers for a 3-yard touchdown, and Trey Hess' extra point tied the game at 7-7.
St. Thomas regained the lead on a 2-yard touchdown run with 2:41 remaining in the first quarter, but Stetson again moved into Tommie territory before the period ended. Von Grote completed passes to Jones and Rogers as the Hatters reached the St. Thomas 36, where they opened the second quarter trailing 14-7.
The drive stalled after an incompletion and a fourth-down sack, and St. Thomas responded with another touchdown to extend its advantage to 22-7.
Stetson's defense produced a takeaway on the Tommies' next possession when Corrado DeSantis intercepted a pass at the Hatters' 9-yard line. The offense later put together another drive behind third-down completions from von Grote to Rogers and Jones before Brett Gonda pinned St. Thomas back with a 60-yard punt.
The Hatters made another push late in the half when Flowers converted fourth-and-1 with a 27-yard run to the St. Thomas 43. Stetson advanced to the 34 before the drive ended on downs, and the Tommies capitalized by adding a 38-yard touchdown pass on the final play of the half to take a 36-7 lead into the locker room.
St. Thomas extended its advantage in the third quarter. A 58-yard completion set up a 1-yard touchdown run on the opening possession of the half, and the Tommies followed with a blocked punt return for a touchdown to make it 50-7.
The Hatters responded with a 70-yard drive that reached the St. Thomas 5-yard line. Landon Farco caught passes of 13 and 36 yards during the possession, while Rogers converted a third down with an 8-yard reception. Stetson was unable to finish the drive, however, turning the ball over on downs.
The defense answered with a stop that included a pass breakup by Lemuel Bass and a tackle for loss from Dylan Kelly. Stephenson then helped Stetson move across midfield with runs of 21 and nine yards before the third quarter ended with the Tommies leading 57-7.
Stetson found its offensive rhythm again in the fourth quarter and scored on each of its first two full possessions of the period.
After the defense forced a St. Thomas punt, the Hatters took over at their own 14 and marched 86 yards for their second touchdown of the afternoon. Von Grote moved the offense downfield with completions to Flowers, Anthony Benzija and Isaiah Baker before connecting with Jones for a 25-yard touchdown. Hess added the extra point to make it 57-14.
St. Thomas answered with a touchdown, but the Hatters came right back with another scoring drive. Starting from their own 33, Stetson faced third-and-13 before Stephenson completed a 22-yard pass to Kai Pruitt to extend the possession. Stephenson then provided the big play himself, breaking free for a 48-yard touchdown run with 6:36 remaining. Hess' extra point brought the score to 64-21.
The two fourth-quarter touchdowns gave Stetson 14 points over the final 15 minutes and capped productive afternoons for Jones and Stephenson. Jones' 25-yard score gave him his fourth receiving touchdown over the last two games, while Stephenson's 48-yard run highlighted his 74-yard rushing performance.
The Hatters' defense continued to battle through the final St. Thomas possession, recording late tackles for loss from Caleb Larson, Johnny DeLancy and Jackson Sjodin before the Tommies ran out the remaining time.
Stetson finished with 334 passing yards and 24 first downs, while St. Thomas totaled 614 yards of offense.
The Hatters return home next Saturday, Oct. 17, when they host Presbyterian at Spec Martin Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
HATTERS TOP PERFORMERS
Thomas von Grote
- 28-for-52 passing
- 296 passing yards
- 2 passing touchdowns
- 0 interceptions
Wyatt Rogers
- 9 receptions
- 94 receiving yards
- 1 receiving touchdown
Shawne Jones
- 8 receptions
- 77 receiving yards
- 1 receiving touchdown
Chris Stephenson
- 6 carries for 74 yards
- 48-yard rushing touchdown
- 4-for-4 passing
- 38 passing yards
Corrado DeSantis
GAME NOTES
- Stetson finished with 334 passing yards, marking its second consecutive game with at least 330 yards through the air.
- The Hatters recorded 24 first downs against St. Thomas.
- Thomas von Grote threw for 296 yards and two touchdowns without an interception.
- Von Grote has now thrown multiple touchdown passes in consecutive games after also throwing two against Marist.
- Wyatt Rogers led Stetson with nine receptions for 94 yards and a touchdown.
- Rogers has recorded nine receptions in back-to-back games after catching nine passes for 103 yards against Marist.
- Jones has now scored three receiving touchdowns over Stetson's last two games, including two against Marist.
- Chris Stephenson rushed for a season-high 74 yards on six carries, averaging 12.3 yards per attempt.
- Stephenson's 48-yard touchdown run was his fourth rushing touchdown of the season.
- Troy Flowers recorded runs of 25 and 27 yards, with the latter converting a fourth-and-1 in the second quarter.
- Landon Farco recorded a 36-yard reception during Stetson's 70-yard third-quarter drive.
- Corrado DeSantis recorded his first interception of the season, picking off a St. Thomas pass at the Stetson 9-yard line in the second quarter.
- Brett Gonda recorded a 60-yard punt in the second quarter.
- Stetson scored 14 points in the fourth quarter, its highest-scoring period of the game.
- The Hatters produced touchdown drives of 75 yards and 86 yards.
- Stetson converted a fourth down on its first touchdown drive and another on Flowers' 27-yard second-quarter run.
- The Hatters fall to 1-5 overall and 0-2 in PFL play.
- St. Thomas improves to 5-2 overall and 2-1 in conference play.
- Stetson returns to Spec Martin Memorial Stadium next Saturday to host Presbyterian at 1 p.m. on Oct. 17.
About Stetson Athletics
At Stetson University, student-athletes don't just compete—they thrive. Located in historic DeLand, Florida, between Orlando and Daytona Beach, Stetson offers the perfect blend of competitive athletics, academic excellence, and an unbeatable Central Florida lifestyle. As the oldest private university in the region, Stetson supports approximately 500 student-athletes across 19 NCAA Division I sports. Nicknamed the "Hatters" after the institution's namesake John B. Stetson, a hat manufacturer who originated the modern-day cowboy hat, most Stetson athletic teams compete in the Atlantic Sun Conference, where they proudly hold the longest active membership since 1985. With top-tier facilities, personalized support, and a welcoming campus community, Stetson is where students can grow, compete, and succeed. Learn more at GoHatters.com or follow social media accounts @StetsonHatters.
