Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
Box Score
ELMHURST, Ill. (Nov. 2, 2019) - Administering an assault on the record books roughly as fierce as the one issued to its opponent, the North Central College football team dictated terms from start to finish at Langhorst Field on Saturday, departing the Elmhurst College campus with an 82-7 vanquishing of the Bluejays.
The Cardinals (7-1, 6-1 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin) posted the sixth-highest point total in their history and the third-highest in the last 100 years and put up the program's third-highest total for offensive yardage (678) while limiting Elmhurst to just 136 yards, the seventh-lowest by a North Central opponent.
Several CCIW records also fell during the contest. The Cardinals established new single-season records for points (379), passing touchdowns (32) and total offensive yards (4,060) with two games still to play, and Broc Rutter became the CCIW's new career record holder for pass completions in conference games (679). Rutter entered Saturday's game as the CCIW career leader in passing yards (now with 9,198) and touchdown passes (98).
Rutter also tied a North Central single-game record with six touchdown passes, all of which were accomplished by halftime. The first, a 34-yard scoring pass to Alex Rose, came with 12:23 on the clock in the first quarter, and Ethan Greenfield followed with a three-yard TD run before Rutter connected with Andrew Kamienski on a six-yard score to stake the visitors to a 20-0 lead after one period of play.
Rutter rolled to his right and found Kamienski for a four-yard scoring toss shortly after the second period began, then lofted a nine-yard TD pass to Nic Rummell in the left corner of the end zone on the Cardinals' next possession. Greenfield stretched the ball across the goal line for another three-yard score before Rutter finished the half with a five-yard touchdown pass over the middle to Blake Williams and a seven-yard score to DeAngelo Hardy. North Central headed into halftime with a 54-0 advantage.
The Bluejays (1-7, 1-6 CCIW) traveled 75 yards in 11 plays on their first possession of the second half, scoring their lone touchdown on a 14-yard pass from Jake Tahaney to Ben Fridrich, but were permitted to net just 10 offensive yards the rest of the way. North Central scored twice in less than a minute later in the third period, as Jarrett Crider took a screen pass from Jake Johnson 71 yards to the end zone and Trevor Tesmond recovered an Elmhurst fumble in the end zone. Johnson completed the scoring with touchdown runs of four and 49 yards in the fourth quarter.
Rutter completed 23 of 28 passes for 277 yards, connecting with Hardy and Kamienski five times each. Kamienski now has an even 200 career receptions, making him the first Cardinal to reach that plateau. Greenfield gained 182 rushing yards on just 17 carries. Greenfield now has 1,015 rushing yards this season, marking the 11th time a North Central player has exceeded the 1,000-yard mark.
Zach Butler led the Cardinal defense with nine tackles, including two tackles for loss, and intercepted a pass. Storm Simmons also collected two tackles for loss, while Bryan Beauchamp forced a fumble and Tyler Rich recovered one.
North Central returns to Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium on Saturday to host Illinois Wesleyan University (5-3, 5-2) at 1:00 p.m. Senior Day festivities will be conducted prior to kickoff.
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