Tommies hold off Black Hills to stay perfect 15-0 in home openers under Caruso

St Thomas football wins season opener over Black Hills State

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.

St Thomas players flank head coach Glenn Caruso as they take the field for their season opener against Black Hills State at O’Shaughnessy Field in St. Paul

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.

St. Thomas unveiled a new banner at O’Shaughnessy Field commemorating last season’s Pioneer League Championship