Spring Lake Park compiled 251 yards rushing on 57 carries, leading to nearly 30 minutes of time of possession, in handing Benilde-St. Margaret’s a 16-0 defeat.
 
The Panthers had six drives which lasted more six minutes or more, including their first possession of the game when they drove 88 yards on 12 plays in 6:00 to take a 7-0 lead late in the opening quarter.
 
Eji Ejiya’s one-yard plunge, which capped that opening drive, provided the only points of the first half but the visitors wasted no time adding to its lead in the second half.
 
Gabe Dahl returned the opening kick of the second half 61 yards to set his team up at the Red Knight 33-yard line. Six plays later, facing a third-and-six, SLP quarterback Connor Janu kept the ball on an option play to the right, avoided four would-be tacklers and ran the ball into the end zone from 17 yards out.
 
Matt Fruzyna added a 27-yard field goal with 3:16 to play in the game following a Panther interception which gave the visitors the ball on the BSM 12.
 
The hosts were unable get anything going offensively, gaining only 25 yards on 30 rushing attempts, thanks in large part to seven sacks for 39 yards by Spring Lake Park.
 
The Red Knights were just 3-for-12 on third downs and 1-for-5 on fourth downs while getting inside the Panthers’ 20-yard line just once, a drive which ended after 10 plays and 53 yards when a sack forced them into a fourth-and-16 attempt at the SLP 25.
 
Keaton Studsrud passed for 167 yards, completing 13 of 29 passing. He also was the team’s leading rushed with just 12 yards.
 
Defensively, BSM allowed just one play over 20 yards but the Panthers were able to sustain drives, finishing the game with an advantage in time of possession of 29:11 to 18:49.
 
Spencer Shaver led the Red Knight defense with 12 tackles while also forcing two fumbles. Luke Musech and Barrett Fitzgerald each had 11 tackles. Fitzgerald also recorded BSM’s lone quarterback sack in the game.
 
After opening the season with two consecutive home games, BSM will be on the road for its next two games, travelling to Fridley for a 7 p.m. game Friday, Sept. 14.
 
Complete game statistics are available here.