EDITOR’S NOTE: The final, full game story with interviews, video and a photo slideshow can be found here.

Five touchdowns from senior running back Josh Parks led the St. Thomas football team to an important 57-36 MIAC victory over Gustavus Adolphus on Saturday at O’Shaughnessy Stadium.

Parks finished the game with 241 all-purpose yards for the 18th-ranked Tommies (7-2 overall, 6-1 MIAC), who rolled up 552 yards of total offense against the Gusties (6-3, 4-3). He rushed for 130 yards and scored three touchdowns in the first half to help the Tommies take a 29-14 lead at the break.

Parks opened the second half with his fourth touchdown of the game. He found a gaping hole in the Gustie defensive line and sprinted 51 yards to put St. Thomas up 36-14.

But the Gusties fought back. Quarterback Michael Veldman led a 48-yard drive and punched it into the end zone himself on a 1-yard rush to bring his team to within 36-22.

After St. Thomas was forced to punt on their next drive, the Tommie defense came up with a couple of huge plays. Defensive back Tommy Fuller sacked Veldman for a 12-yard loss, and after a botched snap on 4th-and-29, defensive back Nick Raddatz blocked the punt. The Tommies recovered the ball at the Gustie 6-yard line.

Running back Josh Komis’ 3-yard scamper made it 43-22. But less than six minutes later, the Gusties had pulled to within seven, trailing 43-36 following back-to-back TDs by tight end Ethan Sindelir. His second score came on a 3-yard TD reception from Veldman after a Parks fumble handed the Gusties the ball on the Tommies 6-yard line.

Parks wasn’t done yet, though. With 8:42 left in the game, he ran the ball in from a yard out for his fifth TD of the day put the Tommies up 50-36.

The Tommies sealed their win with a 70-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Tommy Dolan to tight end Grant Slavik.

Jacob Schneider can be reached at schn6923@stthomas.edu.