ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The Spartans are back at home on Saturday with a chance to run their winning streak to three games against a young Madonna University squad. Missouri Baptist football is coming off a dominant 31-7 road victory and looks to remain unbeaten in front of the home crowd.
SCOUTING THE CRUSADERS
Madonna University fields an extraordinarily young team, with everyone on the roster being listed no higher in school than a sophomore. The offense has had a rough go at it early in the season, averaging just 197 yards per game in two contests. Starting quarterback Luke Pfromm and top receiver D'Vonta Garrett hope to get the passing game going after a slow start to the year. In his only appearance, Pfromm went 9-for-26 with 114 passing yards and one interception while Garrett leads his team in receptions (5) and receiving yards (71). Madonna has averaged 51.5 yards per game on the ground, led by freshman tailback Christian Gaiera who has posted 60 yards in 11 attempts.
Defensively, the Crusaders have run into a pair of tough matchups allowing 373 total yards against an unbeaten Lawrence Tech team and 563 yards against ninth-ranked Marian. Despite the numbers, the Spartans still have their work cut out for them as long as their impressive freshman safeties, Dalen Cobb and Jesse Morris, take the field. They have collected a combined 26 tackles and two pass breakups through two games. Jarrett Railing, Jakel Davis, and Mike Gaiera look to lock things down in the middle of the field, posting a combined 31 tackles, 3.5 tackles for a loss, one sack, and one pass breakup in the first two games.
SPARTANS DOMINATE ON THE ROAD
Missouri Baptist football is coming off their second consecutive win to begin the season, the first time the feat has been accomplished in their eight-year history. The Spartans dominated in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, against Iowa Wesleyan, posting 31 points and 447 offensive yards while the defense allowed just a single passing touchdown and only 39 rushing yards.
Ronald Allen was nearly unstoppable against the Tigers, leading the offense with 208 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns, earning him MSFA Midwest Offensive Player of the Week for the first time in his career.
Josh Munn also played a solid game, collecting a touchdown pass and 195 total yards. On the receiving end of the touchdown pass was redzone threat
Easton Locke who scored from the tight end position for the second time in as many games. On the outside,
Jacob Triplett continued his impressive start to the season, reeling in eight catches for 62 yards.
The Tigers were also pushed around by the Spartan defensive line, earning just 39 rushing yards against them. They were also shut down through the air by an MBU secondary that knocked down four passes and intercepted one.
Rook Rowe and
Blake Kight were the standout performers in that game on September 4. Kight, the team leader in tackles, posted five tackle assists while Rowe had five solo tackles, one tackle for a loss, and an interception.
MBU football is playing at a high level and hopes to continue their strong play on both sides of the ball against Madonna. In their last home game, the Spartans dominated the Lyon College Scots in front of a record crowd of over 1,000 people and will feed off the early season momentum, looking to remain unbeaten in their first three games.
GAME COVERAGE
Kickoff: 12 p.m.
Location: Spartan Field
Tickets: mbuspartans.universitytickets.com/
Watch: spartandigitalnetwork.com/
Live Stats: bit.ly/3nJn9Ju
