EAGAN, Minn. — In a historic inaugural season, the College of Saint Benedict flag football team capped its run with a championship, earning two wins Saturday to claim the Midwest Women's Flag Football League title at TCO Stadium.
The second-seeded Bennies (7-1) rallied past top-seeded Concordia-Moorhead (6-2) for a 26-20 victory in the championship game, scoring 20 unanswered points in the second half after trailing, 20-6. The comeback marked Saint Benedict's second win over the Cobbers this season, following a 13-6 victory at the Saint Benedict Jamboree. CSB also won a semifinal game with a 13-12 decision over St. Olaf.
CSB Head coach Joe Bartos praised the team's effort and resilience throughout the season.
"I am incredibly proud of, and thankful for, our athletes and coaches," said Bartos. "Grit is handling hard better and they all showed a lot of it this evening. We have 23 pieces of iron which sharpened each other the past couple of months."
Championship Game — Saint Benedict 26, Concordia-Moorhead 20
In the title game, first-year
Nora Schmidt (Shoreview, Minn.) led the charge, throwing two touchdown passes to
Drew Buslee (Eagan, Minn.), including the game-winning score. Schmidt then connected with
Avary White (Stillwater, Minn.) for the two-point conversion.
After falling behind 20-6, the Bennies surged in the second half. Schmidt found White for a touchdown pass to spark the comeback, while Buslee delivered on defense with her fifth interception of the season, returning it for her third defensive touchdown to help the Bennies rally for a win.
Semifinal — Saint Benedict 13, St. Olaf 12
Saint Benedict advanced to the championship with a narrow 13-12 victory over St. Olaf. Schmidt accounted for both touchdowns through the air, including a connection with Buslee, and added an extra-point pass to White. The Bennies also got a touchdown reception from
Lily Ryan (hometown not provided), her fourth of the season.
Final Notes
Schmidt finished the year with 13 touchdown passes, while Buslee totaled 10 touchdown receptions to go along with her defensive scores. White added five touchdown catches on the season. The Bennies closed their first campaign with a 202-95 scoring advantage across eight games, averaging 25.25 points per game while allowing just 11.875, sealing a championship run that sets the standard for the program moving forward.
