Football loses two starters to season-ending injuries

October 11, 2005
The St. Thomas football team (1-3 overall, 1-2 MIAC) will play its final five games without two injured starters from its offensive backfield.

Junior quaterback Ryan Jansen of Foley was hurt late in the Oct. 1 loss at St. Olaf and had surgery this week. He will be replaced by senior Justin Lockrem of Woodbury (11 career starts).

Senior FB Joe Lepsche of Woodbury will apply for a medical hardship to retain his last season of eligibility. He's been replaced by sophomore Don Jaeger of Elk River.

The Toms already had lost two defensive starters to injury, including senior defensive end Luke Rezac of Lonsdale for the season.

Jansen had just thrown for a career-best 301 yards in the loss to unbeaten St. Olaf. Jansen is 7-4 as a starter and in 12 career varsity games has completed 56% of his passes for 2,155 yards and 11 TDs with seven interceptions.
The injury also will keep Jansen (4.00 gpa in Electrical Engineering) off the ballot for Academic All-America consideration.

Lockrem has played in two games this season and has completed 13-of-18 passes for 90 yards. He has 11 career starts with seven TD passes and 1,634 passing yards. He guided the Toms to a road win at Coe in 2004 and a near-upset of eventual NCAA champion St. John's in a 15-12 loss in 2003.

Lepsche, an excellent blocker, has three career TDs and has 23 career catches for 177 yards.

The Tommies host Bethel Saturday (1 p.m.) in its 2005 Homecoming game at O'Shaughnessy Stadium. Lockrem will be the fourth different starting QB to face Bethel in the last four seasons -- he started nine games in 2003 but was injured and missed the Bethel game.