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Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302

Box Score

Oct. 10, 2009 - The North Central College football team escalated its offensive wizardry to a new level on Saturday against North Park University, covering nearly 600 yards in an 83-7 smash of the Vikings at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium.

The Cardinals wasted no time putting their stamp on a fourth straight runaway victory, piling up 34 points in the first quarter alone. Going deep into its bench in the second half, North Central continued to roll through the Vikings' defense despite only passing the ball once in the final two periods.

The home team's first score came on its first possession. A 43-yard pass from Aaron Fanthorpe to Steve Hlavac moved North Central to the visitors' 10-yard line, and Dominic Sulo covered the remaining distance on the next play. On the ensuing drive, the Cardinals got a score from their defense, as Willie Hayes scooped up a fumble and stormed 40 yards for his second touchdown in as many weeks. Following a Viking punt, North Central traveled 51 yards in six plays and scored on an 11-yard run by Sulo.

Fanthorpe hooked up with Hlavac on the Cardinals' next TD, as the two connected on a seven-yard pass to cap off a three-play, 48-yard jaunt, and Fanthorpe added a 21-yard scoring toss to Phillip Rossberg for the hosts' fifth first-quarter score.

Fanthorpe's third touchdown pass of the evening came with 10:38 left in the second quarter, throwing a five-yarder to Hank Johnston. Fanthorpe later called his own number for a 12-yard TD run, and Sulo scored the Cardinals' final TD of the opening half on a six-yard run with 2:42 before the half. North Central headed into the locker room with a 55-0 halftime advantage.

The Cardinals scored on a nine-yard run by Rossberg and a one-yard run by Pat Malek in the third period, and Nick Kukuc found the goal line from 13 yards away shortly after the fourth quarter began. North Park's lone touchdown of the game came with 13:08 to play, as quarterback Shelby Wood completed a nine-yard scoring strike to Evan Christiansen. The final touchdown of the day came from North Central quarterback Brad Crackel, who rolled into the end zone untouched from 12 yards out with 2:39 left.

The Cardinals' point total and margin of victory are both the fourth-largest in the history of the North Central program, while their 594 yards of total offense is fifth all-time.

Kukuc was North Central's top ground-gainer with 104 yards on 12 carries, while Sulo finished with 88 yards on 14 carries and scored three touchdowns for the fourth time this season. Fanthorpe was a perfect 12 for 12 passing for 185 yards, and Hlavac hauled in three passes for a game-high 63 yards.

Jim Bardusk was the Cardinals' top tackler with six total stops and a quarterback sack. Andy Trybula and Nick Smith each intercepted passes.

North Central kicker Morgan Sheridan established a new single-game school record by connecting on 11 extra-point attempts.

The Cardinals (4-1, 2-0 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin) travel to Kenosha, Wis., to face CCIW rival Carthage College (4-1, 1-1) on Saturday. Kickoff at Art Keller Field is scheduled for 6 p.m.