Box Score

ROLLA, Mo. -- Something that had not happened in the long history of the Miner football program became a key element Saturday to allow Missouri S&T to rout Saint Joseph's 45-24 at Allgood-Bailey Stadium -- and lock up a winning 2011 campaign in the process.

Never before had a Miner team returned two interceptions for touchdowns in the same contest, but after taking a 10-3 lead early in the second quarter, the two pick-sixes extended the lead to 24-3 and S&T never looked back as it won for the sixth time against four losses with one game to play.

After the Miners and Pumas traded field goals on their opening possessions of the game, the Miners took the lead with an 80-yard drive that culminated in a 14-yard touchdown reception by Joseph Hyman (Los Angeles, Calif./Palisades).

On the very next play after the kickoff, Hilton Dawson (Compton, Calif./) picked off Tate Borlik's pass at the Pumas' 23-yard line and took it to the end zone, diving just inside the pylon to make it 17-3 -- and the score would remain that way to the intermission.

Dawson's return was his second of the season for a touchdown, making him the first Miner since Fred White in 1969 to return two interceptions for a score in the same year.

The Miners' second interception return came early in the third quarter, as Sean Martin (South Holland, Ill./Seton Academy) picked off what turned out to be Borlik's last pass of the afternoon and brought it back 48 yards for a score.

Borlik was replaced on the Pumas' next series by Billy VandeMerkt, who proceeded to lead Saint Joseph's to its first touchdown drive of the game.  VandeMerkt completed six-of-seven passes on that drive that ended with a three-yard scoring run by Horace Lane.

However, S&T answered right back with a 54-yard scoring drive that culminated in a three-yard run by Curterris Golden (Chicago, Ill./John Hope), as the Miners scored 21 unanswered points to bust the game wide open.

After a three-and-out by the Pumas following the Golden touchdown, the Miners took advantage of a stiff wind blowing at their backs before the third quarter ended, as senior quarterback Steve Watson (Berkeley, Ill./Walther Lutheran) connected with Hyman -- who adjusted to an underthrown ball -- for a 50-yard touchdown pass to make it 38-10 with 24 seconds left in the period.

The Miners' final score of the afternoon came on a three-yard run by Ryan Taylor (Indianapolis, Ind./Pike), who finished the afternoon with 99 yards on 12 carries as part of a 184-yard day on the ground for S&T -- 144 of which came in the second half.

Saint Joseph's added two late touchdowns for the final margin.

S&T had 377 yards of total offense to the Pumas' 368 on the afternoon.  Watson and starting quarterback Josh Firm (Lancaster, Calif./Quartz Hill) completed just 11-of-29 passes for 193 yards with each throwing for a score, while the two Puma signalcallers put the ball in the air 66 times and completed 31 for 280 yards.

The Miners also intercepted three of those passes, the third by defensive end Dan Mauszycki (Gardner, Kan./Gardner-Edgerton HS) and recorded a pair of quarterback sacks.

Missouri S&T, who locked up its first winning season since 2008, will close the year next Saturday at South Dakota.  The game begins at noon in Vermillion, S.D.