Box Score

Oct. 4, 2008 - The switch from non-conference play to College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin competition proved to be a seamless one for the North Central College football team on Saturday, as the eighth-ranked Cardinals scored on their first four possessions and stayed undefeated with a 31-13 triumph over Millikin University (Ill.) at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium.

North Central (4-0, 1-0 CCIW) now stands as one of just two undefeated teams in the conference, joining sixth-ranked Wheaton College (Ill.)

The hosts were on the attack from the opening kickoff, as the Cardinals' defense forced a turnover on the first possession of the afternoon. Taylor Overman (Fr., Winfield, Ill./West Chicago) pounced on a fumble at the Millikin 28-yard line, setting North Central up with ideal field position for its initial drive. The Cards arrived in the end zone four plays later, as Aaron Fanthorpe (Jr., Naperville, Ill./Naperville North) connected with Kyle Fiedorowicz (Fr., Johnsburg, Ill./Johnsburg) on a 20-yard touchdown pass with 10:40 still to play in the first period, giving North Central a 7-0 lead.

The Big Blue (2-2, 0-1 CCIW) punted on its next drive to give the home team the ball on its own 27. Fanthorpe guided the Cardinals to another score in seven plays, as Dominic Sulo (Jr., Oak Forest, Ill./Mt. Carmel) rushed for a 14-yard TD with 5:54 to go in the opening quarter to double North Central's lead to 14-0.

Another Big Blue punt allowed North Central to open its third drive of the day at its own 41-yard line. The Cardinals gobbled up more than six minutes of playing time in a 15-play drive, crossing the goal line on a four-yard run by Fanthorpe with 11:35 on the clock in the second quarter. The hosts' longest scoring play of the day followed yet another Millikin punt, as Fanthorpe launched a 43-yard bomb to Joe Sosinski (Sr., New Carlisle, Ind./New Prairie), increasing the North Central advantage to 28-0 with 8:16 before halftime.

Millikin managed to put together its first scoring drive of the day just before halftime, venturing 62 yards in 10 plays and scoring on a 17-yard pass from Andy Dicken to Will Roth with 1:16 to play. The extra-point attempt was blocked, leaving the score at 28-6.

The Cardinals drove for their final score on a drive which began late in the third quarter. Highlighted by a 30-yard run by Mike Mucha (Jr., Orland Park, Ill./Univ. of Illinois) and a 27-yard pass from Kyle Kniss (Sr., Lanark, Ill./Eastland-Pearl City) to Jeff Grunwald (So., Tinley Park, Ill./Lincoln Way East), North Central put itself in position for a 23-yard field goal attempt. Andrew Barciszewski (Fr., Troy, Ill./Triad) split the uprights to nudge the Cardinals' lead up to 31-6 with 14:16 to play in the fourth period.

Millikin's second scoring possession of the day was a 16-play, 83-yard jaunt that consumed nearly seven minutes. North Central nearly held the Big Blue out of the end zone on four straight plays from the one-yard line, but fullback Letwon Williams was able to cross the goal line on fourth down.

The Cardinals held a 364-219 advantage in total yards and slowed Millikin's running game to a trickle, as the Big Blue managed just 23 yards on 24 carries. Fanthorpe completed 10 of 14 passes for 150 yards, while Kniss connected on 7 of 13 throws for 81 yards. Steve Hlavac (So., Naperville, Ill./Naperville North) established season highs of nine catches and 101 receiving yards, while Sulo and Mucha each gained 59 yards rushing to share the team lead.

Matt Wenger (Jr., Davis, Ill./Dakota) once again led North Central with 12 tackles (nine solo). David Treglown (Sr., Naples, Fla./Barron Collier) finished with seven tackles and a quarterback sack, and Nick Swanson (Sr., Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg) made six stops and broke up two passes.

Dicken threw for 196 yards, completing 22 of 40 passes, for Millikin. He completed nine throws to running back Dion Wilson, who gained 54 yards. Linebacker Sam Jordan led the Big Blue defense with 11 tackles.

The Cardinals travel to face North Park University (1-3, 0-1) at the Holmgren Athletic Complex in Chicago on Saturday. The Vikings lost to Wheaton, 56-28, to open CCIW play. Kickoff at North Park is scheduled for 1 p.m.