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

Box Score

Sept. 12, 2009 - The North Central College football team shook off a season-opening loss in impressive fashion Saturday, piling up 42 first-half points and blowing out Benedictine University, 55-0, at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium.

The Cardinals owned a 549-174 advantage in total offensive yards, including a 304-38 edge in rushing yards. Included in North Central's rushing total was a 96-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter by Phillip Rossberg, who etched his name in the record book as the author of the longest play from scrimmage in school history.

The first score of the game came on the evening's first possession, as the hosts marched 68 yards in 10 plays. Aaron Fanthorpe raced to his left on a quarterback keeper and rolled into the end zone from 16 yards out to get North Central on the board with 10:24 still on the first-quarter clock.

After the Cardinals' defense forced a Benedictine punt, the hosts went 72 yards in just five plays to double their lead. A 30-yard pass from Fanthorpe to Joe Antonacci got North Central into the red zone, and Dominic Sulo swept around the right end for an eight-yard touchdown run with 6:46 left in the opening period. Another big pass completion, this time to Jeff Grunwald, set the stage for a third Cardinal touchdown before the first quarter ended. Sulo followed with a seven-yard run and Fanthorpe crossed the goal line from five yards away.

A botched Eagle snap was pounced on by Luke Mattioda after BU had run just two plays, and a four-play scoring drive culminated in a 23-yard pass from Fanthorpe to Hank Johnston early in the second quarter. A short Benedictine punt left the Cardinals with just 41 yards to cover for their next TD, which they did in nine plays as Sulo scored on a one-yard plunge. Fanthorpe started the hosts' final scoring series with a 36-yard pass to Antonacci, and Sulo ran 27 yards for the touchdown on the next play.

Benedictine (0-2) drove into Cardinal territory on its first second-half possession, but wound up turning the ball over on downs at the North Central 32. The Cardinals traveled 68 yards in 11 plays, scoring on Fanthorpe's one-yard toss to Kyle Fiedorowicz.

The Eagles penetrated the North Central half of the field once again in the fourth period, advancing to the 14-yard line before Chase Pavlick forced a fumble. Recovering the ball once again was Mattioda, and the Cardinals took over on their own four-yard line. Rossberg broke loose for his record-setting run on the next play, surpassing the previous mark, a 94-yard run by Reinhold Fritz against Carroll College (Wis.) on Oct. 31, 1959.

Rossberg finished the evening as the Cardinals' top rusher, gaining 137 yards on eight carries. Sulo finished with 104 yards on 16 attempts, while Fanthorpe ran seven times for 48 yards. Fanthorpe also completed 15 of 19 passes for 245 yards, throwing five times to Antonacci for 99 yards and four times to Johnston for 55 yards.

Willie Hayes was North Central's top tackler with nine total stops and Robert Champion made six tackles, including 3.5 of the Cardinals' 15 tackles for loss. Nick Smith recovered a fumble and Andy Trybula intercepted a pass.

Benedictine quarterback Dave Klinger completed nine of 17 passes for 80 yards, with receiver Matt Jenkins hauling in four balls for 40 yards. Safety Mike Hatfield made 11 total tackles.

The Cardinals (1-1) have a week away from competition before hosting Olivet College (Mich.) on Saturday, Sept. 26 at 6 p.m.