The Mount St. Joseph University football team earned a statement win on Saturday afternoon, defeating Anderson University (IN) 41–21 at Schueler Field. The Lions put together a complete team effort on both sides of the ball — highlighted by senior defensive back Brady Pierce's 98-yard interception return for a touchdown, the longest in school history.
Quarterback Jaxon Schreiber led the offensive charge, throwing for 254 yards and three touchdowns, connecting with Eli Aston, Keymari Pittman, and Patrick Connor throughout the afternoon. The Lions moved the ball efficiently, scoring in every quarter and controlling the tempo from start to finish.
Mt. St. Joseph struck early in the first quarter as Schreiber found Patrick Connor for a deep touchdown to open the scoring. Anderson briefly tied the game, but the Lions quickly regained control with another Schreiber touchdown pass. Running back Dallas De La Cruz added two rushing touchdowns, powering through the Ravens' defense for 50 yards on 12 carries.
The defining moment came late in the second quarter. With Anderson threatening in the red zone, Brady Pierce jumped a pass at the goal line and sprinted 97 yards the other way for a touchdown — a new Mt. St. Joseph program record for the longest interception return. The previous record of 95-yards was held by All-American DeShawn Starks.The play ignited the home crowd and swung momentum fully in favor of the Lions.
"That was a huge moment," said Head Coach Tyler Hopperton. "Brady made an incredible read, and the whole team fed off that energy. You could feel the momentum shift instantly."
Aston led all receivers with 109 yards and a touchdown, while Pittman added 50 yards and another score. The Lions' defense forced two interceptions, limited Anderson to just 58 rushing yards, and held firm in key third-down situations.
With the victory, Mt. St. Joseph improves to 2-2 overall and gives them a season-opening win in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference play. The win sets up a big showdown next Saturday as the Hanover Panthers will head to Cincinnati for a big early season HCAC contest.
