SAINT PAUL, MINN.—The passing game was on display in the Hamline University football team's final home game of 2024 against St. Scholastica on Saturday afternoon, as both teams combined to complete 45-of–53 passes for 620 yards and four touchdowns. Pipers quarterback Alejandro Villanueva played the game of his life as he completed 23-of-27 passes for a career-high 387 yards as well as 72 yards rushing. Villanueva accounted for four touchdowns, one passing and three rushing, but his defensive line struggled to put pressure on Saints quarterback Donald West. That was the difference maker for Hamline in their 42-28 loss to St. Scholastica.
Hamline had the upper hand in total offense 535-412, passing 387-233, and third-down conversion 4-of-7 to 2-of-6.
The Pipers fall to 3-6, 1-6 MIAC, while the Saints improve to 3-6, 2-5 MIAC.
St. Scholastica 42, Hamline 28
Four of the game's first five drives resulted in touchdowns. The Saints opened the game with an eight-play, 70 yard drive that ended with Nick Schneider's one-yard plunge that gave them a 7-0 lead with 11:36 left in the first quarter.
Only one touchdown over the game's first five drives belonged to Hamline, courtesy of Dawson Schaffer's nine-yard catch from Villanueva that tied the game 7-7 with 5:12 left in the first quarter. The next three series included touchdown catches from 13 yards out by Alec Ralph, a Hamline three-and-out, and a three-yard touchdown grab from Ricky Weber. These outcomes gave St. Scholastica a 21-7 lead with 9:39 remaining in the second quarter.
The Pipers had to play catch up from that point forward. After Hamline punted for their second-straight try on offense with 5:03 left in the second, they got the ball back on their own 45 off Charlie VanGuilder's interception with 2:19 left in the first half. The Pipers capitalized on that turnover, as Villanueva capped an eight-play 55 yard drive with a one-yard plunge that narrowed Hamline's deficit to 21-14 at halftime.
Momentum was stripped from the Pipers on the opening kickoff of the third quarter, when St. Scholastica recovered their own kick at Hamline's 28, and found the end zone three plays later off Ricky Weber's three-yard touchdown catch that gave them a 28-14 advantage with 13:53 on the clock.
Villanueva carried Hamline on his shoulders on the next drive, where he completed 3-of-3 passes for 42 yards, and rushed for 33 yards on three carries. This included his nine-yard touchdown run that put the Pipers within one touchdown at 28-21 with 10:14 left in the third.
Hamline couldn't narrow their deficit further as St. Scholastica responded on their next drive, where Nick Schlender rushed for 36 yards, which included a nine-yard score that pushed their lead to 35-21 with 4:14 left in the third quarter.Â
Hamline sealed their fate over the next two drives with a lost fumble, and a turn over on downs. The Saints turned Hamline's fumble into a touchdown as Schlender capped a six-play drive with a one-yard run that gave them a 42-21 lead with 14:57 left in the game.
Villanueva completed 4-for-4 passes for 87 yards on the game's final scoring drive that ended with his four-yard touchdown run that narrowed the score to 42-28 with 3:29 left in the fourth quarter.
D'Nari Adams caught a game-high nine passes for 127 yards, while Schaffer grabbed nine passes for 186 yards and one touchdown.
Dominic Sandoval led Hamline with nine tackles. VanGuilder had an interception, a pass breakup, and six tackles for the Pipers.
West completed 22-of-26 passes for 233 yards and three touchdowns. Schlender rushed for 109 yards on 22 carries. Weber caught five passes for 55 yards and two touchdowns.
The Pipers will travel to Carleton in the match up of the No. 4 seeds in the Skyline and Northwoods Divisions as part of MIAC Championship Week on Saturday, November 16 at 12 p.m.
