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Box Score
  
OLIVET, Mich. - (Sept. 18, 2010) - The North Central College football team fought off an early rash of turnovers and a 43-minute lightning delay to claim victory on Saturday, improving to 2-0 with a 52-9 victory over the Olivet College Comets at the Cutler Athletic Complex.

The 14th-ranked Cardinals scored five times in a 26-minute stretch in the second and third quarters and recorded a third blowout win over Olivet in as many years, despite enduring a scoreless first quarter and having to erase an early deficit for the second time in as many games.

North Central's first play from scrimmage, a deep pass by Spencer Stanek, was intercepted by the Comets' Nick Glass, and the hosts took advantage of the early momentum boost to drive 49 yards on 11 plays and take a 3-0 lead on Blake Iobe's 40-yard field goal.

The Cardinals turned the ball over on downs on their next possession. After recovering a fumble on Olivet's next play, North Central drove deep into the Comets' territory before another interception by Glass put the ball back in the home team's hands. Olivet was able to set up a 35-yard field goal attempt by Iobe, but the kick sailed wide.

After the two turnovers, North Central turned the ball over to backup quarterback Brad Crackel, who uncorked a 25-yard run on the first play of the ensuing drive to kickstart the Cardinals' offense. A 35-yard pass from Crackel to Manny Juarez set up North Central's first touchdown, a six-yard run by Nick Kukuc with 13:30 left in the second quarter.

Following an Olivet punt and the lightning delay, North Central took over at the Comets' 44-yard line. The visitors needed just two plays to score, as Crackel fired a 40-yard TD pass to Steve Hlavac, extending the Cardinals' advantage to 14-3 with 10:39 left in the half. North Central put together a 16-play, 68-yard drive near the end of the first half, but the Cardinals missed a field goal attempt with 32 seconds on the clock.

Olivet's first possession of the second half, an eight-play, 54-yard jaunt, was also stalled by a missed field goal, giving the Cardinals posession at their own 20. A 28-yard pass from Crackel to Hlavac moved North Central into Comet territory, and a 23-yard run by Jordan Tassio set up a first-and-goal at the five-yard line. Tassio covered the remaining distance on the next play, increasing the Cardinals' lead to 21-3 with 8:16 on the third-quarter clock.

Following an Olivet punt, the Cardinals began their next drive at their own 49-yard line. Eight plays later, the guests were in the end zone, as Crackel threw a nine-yard touchdown pass to Joe Antonacci on third-and-goal with 3:48 left in the third period. North Central's defense forced a three-and-out on the Comets' next drive, and a 16-yard punt return by Antonacci left the Cardinals with just 32 yards between them and the goal line. A pair of 13-yard carries by Kukuc brought North Central to the one-yard line, and Crackel's one-yard pass to Jeff Grunwald widened the gap to 35-3 with 10 seconds left in the third quarter.

Following another Olivet punt and a 31-yard return by Antonacci, the Cardinals set up shop at their own 47. After eight straight rushing attempts moved it into position, North Central got its first made field goal attempt of the season by Kevin Looff, who booted a 28-yarder to increase the Cardinals' advantage to 38-3 with 8:35 to play.

Olivet backup quarterback Nick McCleary entered the game on the hosts' next drive. His second pass of the game, the third of the possession, was intercepted by the Cardinals' Kyle Haste, who returned the ball 46 yards for a touchdown. McCleary's first pass of the next drive was also picked off, this time by Ryan Ferry, who set up North Central's final possession on the Comets' 31.

The Cardinals' final scoring drive consisted of four plays, all of which were runs. Kukuc ran for his second score of the day, a 20-yard TD with 4:16 remaining. After punting for the sixth time, Olivet recovered a fumble on the return at the North Central nine-yard line, and McCleary threw a touchdown pass to J.W. Seekman on the game's final play.

Crackel finished the game 13 of 17 passing for 191 yards while also rushing for 36 yards on six attempts. Tassio ran times for 105 yards, with Kukuc contributing 90 yards on 11 carries, while Hlavac was the Cardinals' top receiver with 146 yards on seven receptions. Matt Wenger was North Central's top tackler with nine stops, including two tackles for loss and a quarterback sack. The Cardinals outgained Olivet in total offensive yards, 521-153, including a 291-41 edge in rushing yards.

North Central plays its first home game of the 2010 season on Saturday, hosting the 20th-ranked University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Kickoff at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium is scheduled for 1 p.m.