Tommies hold off Black Hills to stay perfect 15-0 in home openers under Caruso
Shawn Shipman rushed for 140 yards and a touchdown, quarterback Amari Powell added two rushing touchdowns, and St. Thomas of Minnesota defeated Black Hills State 36-26 in a season opener on Saturday.
Click the video box on this page to watch KSTP Sports’ extended highlights of St Thomas’ season-opening 36-26 win over Black Hills State
Powell completed 12 of 24 passes for a modest 105 yards and scored on runs of 1 and 11 yards. Shipman’s 140 yards came on 21 carries. He had a 19-yard touchdown and a long run of 44 yards.
The Tommies led 22-0 early in the second quarter before their Division II opponent rallied behind the passing of Tanner Clarkson, who finished 17 of 25 for 280 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Clarkson’s TD pass was a 52-yarder to running back Nolan Susel, who also ran for one touchdown and threw a 17-yard pass to TJ Chukwurah for another.
The Yellow Jackets led in total offense 366-334.
The Tommies are riding the longest home-field winning streaking in all levels of the NCAA, having won 27 consecutive home games.
St Thomas was 10-1 last season, its second in Division I, and won the Pioneer Football League championship. The Tommies unveiled their championship banner in a short ceremony on Saturday.