Defense quells Johnson, shuts out Concordia 21-0

Concordia running back Chad Johnson was held to just 55 yards on 16 carries Saturday at O’Shaughnessy Stadium as St. Thomas won its fifth game of the season 21-0.

Johnson, the MIAC’s leading rusher, was held under 100 yards on the ground for the first time this season. The game was also his first of the season without a touchdown.

The Tommie defense held the Cobber offense to 108 yards. St. Thomas recorded four sacks and forced four fumbles, recovering three.

Tommie running back Tucker Trettel scored once in each half on 16 carries for 86 yards. Quarterback Jacques Perra added a score in the second quarter with a 34-yard pass to tight end Jackson Hull.

The win moved the Tommies to 5-1 going into the bye week. The Tommies entered the game ranked sixth in the nation and are first place in the MIAC.

Trettel’s 11-yard touchdown run in the first quarter was followed by Perra’s strike to Hull early in the second. Perra completed 8 of 16 passes for 71 yards and no interceptions.

The Tommie defense, which has held opposing offenses to 32 rushing yards a game this season, limited running back Chad Johnson to 20 yards on six carries in the first half. Johnson led the MIAC in rushing yards coming into Saturday, averaging 146 yards a game.

Tommie defensive lineman Austin Jochum recorded a sack and forced one of three fumbles in the first half. St. Thomas recovered two of those fumbles.

The Tommies had a nine-game winning streak against the Cobbers coming into Saturday’s game. The last time Concordia won against St. Thomas was in 2007, when the Cobbers won 51-28.

Noah Brown can be reached at brow7736@stthomas.edu