Daniel Eckhardt

Nate Carr scooped up a fumble and returned it for a touchdown to give Blue Earth Area the early lead as the Bucs spoiled the St. James Saints homecoming with a 28-6 victory in football action Sept. 25.

The Saints had started from their own 25 following the opening kick off and moved the ball to midfield. Bucs lineman Ryan Ihle caused the fumble allowing Carr to return it untouched with just 1:38 run off the clock. Garrett Anderson’s kick gave the Bucs a 7-0 lead.

Carr wasn’t through crossing the goal line. Following a Saints’ punt later in the first quarter, the Bucs took possession on the St. James 37-yard line. It would be a one play scoring drive as Carr got open behind the defense and hauled in Anderson’s pass for the touchdown with 3:01 left in the first quarter.

Anderson’s kick made it 14-0.

St. James intercepted an Anderson pass early in the second quarter and returned it to the Buccaneer 40-yard line. A 20-yard pass and a defensive pass interference penalty moved the ball to just outside the 10-yard line.

Zach Tvedten

The Saints appeared to score on the next play but an illegal procedure penalty nullified the touchdown and allowed the Buccaneer defense to regroup. The Bucs stopped the Saints who failed to convert on fourth down, giving the ball to Blue Earth Area on their own 20-yard line.

Runs by Anderson and running back Zach Tvedten gave the Bucs some breathing room as they moved the ball out to the 37.

Needing five yards for a first down, the Bucs got all of that and more as Carr caught Anderson’s pass, broke a couple of tackles and got loose on his way to a 73-yard touchdown. Anderson kicked his third extra point, and with 7:06 left in the first half, the Bucs had increased their lead to 21-0.

The Saints only points would come on their ensuing drive. After returning the kick off to the their own 46 yard line the Saints kept the ball on the ground as they moved the ball down to the Bucs 25. Taylor Andrews got one of his three quarterback sacks for the night to put the Saints back on the 30 yard line.

The home team got six yards back on the next play but were faced with a fourth-and-9 situation from the 24-yard line. Quarterback Derek Nelson hit receiver Charles Kolstad with a sideline pass to put the Saints on the board. The 2-point conversion failed, putting the score at Bucs 21, Saints 6.

Neither team would score in the third quarter. The fourth quarter was entertaining but sloppy. The grass had become quite wet and the turnovers came in bunches.

The follies started after the Saints had put together a long drive to reach the Bucs 15-yard line. The drive came to a screeching halt when Anderson recovered a Saints’ fumble at the 17.

To see more of this story, see this week’s Register.