SAINT PAUL, MINN.—The Hamline University University football team, who finished the regular season as the No. 4 seed in the MIAC Skyline Division, hosted Northwoods Division No. 4 seed St. Olaf at Klas Field in the 2023 season finale on Saturday afternoon. Pipers wide receiver Charlie Wilson, who registered three catches for 37 yards, broke his own single-season reception record with 77 in 2023. Despite the record, Hamline was held to a season-low 95 yards through the air in a 28-7 loss to St. Olaf.
The Pipers finish their season with a 4-6 record, while the Oles conclude their campaign with a 5-5 mark.
St. Olaf 28, Hamline 7
Oles running back Jordan Embry was a workhorse with 169 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 42 carries. Both of those touchdowns occurred at 10:25 and 3:43 of the first quarter, which gave St. Olaf a 14-0 lead.Â
Will Skemp's lone reception of the day was a 15-yard touchdown score from quarterback Theo Doran with 9:36 left in the second quarter, which widened the Oles' lead to 21-0.
Juan Bertaud came up big for the Hamline defense in the third quarter. He blocked a 31-yard field goal attempt with 5:57 left in the frame, and recovered Embry's fumble at the Hamline 12-yard line with 00:43 remaining. The fumble recovery set up a five-play drive that concluded with a 46-yard touchdown run from Pipers quarterback Alejandro Villanueva that narrowed the score to 21-7 with 13:23 left in the game.
Embry responded from his fumble with 41 yards on four carries on St. Olaf's next drive. Derek Hanson capped that series with a 23-yard touchdown catch from Doran at the 11:10 mark of the fourth quarter, which pushed the Oles' lead to 28-7.
Villanueva led Hamline on the ground with 49 yards on 11 carries, and completed 10-of-27 passes for 95 yards along with two interceptions.Â
Jevon Jones notched 14 tackles for the Pipers defense, which included 2.5 stops for a loss of seven yards. Zach Griebel had eight tackles and one pass breakup. Bertaud prevailed with one pass breakup, one fumble recovery, one blocked field goal, and two tackles.
Charlie Wilson holds the following school records:
- Single-Season Receptions: 77 (2023)
- Career Receptions: 191
- Single-Season Receiving Yards: 1,221 (2023)
The Pipers have nine seniors on their 2023 roster in Charlie Wilson, Ethan Mills, Caleb Lueders, Brady Bennett, Charlie VanGuilder, Jake Cunningham, Eli Baron, Oscar Hinojosa, and Isaac Alie. The fifth years include Zach Griebel, Noah Hickman, Alec Ralph, and Evan Miller.
