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

Box Score

DECATUR, Ill. (Oct. 30, 2021) - Locked in a dead heat after one quarter of play, the North Central College football team surged forward and left Millikin University in its wake in the middle 30 minutes of Saturday's game at Frank M. Lindsay Field. The Cardinals improved to 8-0 this season with a 54-27 victory over the Big Blue.

North Central (7-0 in College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin play) scored on six straight possessions in the game-defining effort, gaining 385 yards of offense while allowing only 124. The leading NCAA Division III program in the nation in scoring entering the game, the Cardinals hit the 50-point mark for the seventh time in eight games this season.

A game effort by the Big Blue (2-6, 2-5 CCIW) made for a hard-fought first quarter that ended in a 7-7 stalemate. North Central's first drive ended with an interception deep in Millikin territory, and the hosts managed to capitalize with a 70-yard scoring drive for the first points of the evening. Facing third down at the Cardinal 31, Millikin receiver Colton Lockwood caught a pass that glanced off the hands of another receiver for a touchdown. 

North Central trailed only briefly, covering 74 yards in seven plays and tying the score less than four minutes later on Ethan Greenfield's 21-yard scoring run. The Big Blue intercepted a second pass and advanced to the Cardinals' 22-yard line as the second quarter began, but a quarterback sack by Dan Gilroy and a personal foul penalty pushed Millikin out of field goal range. 

The Big Blue turned the ball over at their own 34 after a failed fourth-down conversion attempt. The drive threatened to stall with the visitors facing third down-and-15, but quarterback Luke Lehnen scrambled for a 28-yard gain to move the sticks. On the next play, Lehnen flipped a shovel pass to DeAngelo Hardy, who raced around left end for an 11-yard touchdown reception to give the Cardinals the lead for the first time with 8:46 left in the half.

North Central began to distance itself in dramatic fashion on its next possession, taking over at its own four-yard line. The Cardinals needed just three plays to cover the 96 yards as Lehnen hit Hardy in stride on a post route for a 73-yard TD pass, matching their season-long completion from North Central's Oct. 9 game at Carthage College.

Millikin put the Cardinals' momentum on hold with a 66-yard drive which saw quarterback Cal Pohrte connect with Lockwood for 21 yards and Antonio Brown for 45 yards on consecutive plays. Marion McGhee crossed the goal line from one yard out with 4:41 left in the first half, cutting North Central's lead to 21-14. The Cardinals wound up having just enough time to respond before the break, covering 72 yards in 12 plays and extending their advantage to 28-14 on Greenfield's six-yard touchdown run. 

The Big Blue took possession to open the second half but North Central ended the drive with another fourth-down stop at the Cardinal 31 as Dakota Cremeens made the pivotal tackle. On fourth down-and-10 on the ensuing drive, Lehnen used a hard count to draw a Millikin defender offside for a five-yard penalty, then called his own number for a 12-yard run to keep the drive alive. Two plays later, Greenfield burst through the middle of the line and left the Big Blue grasping for air on a 52-yard touchdown scamper. 

The Cardinals needed just four plays to get in the end zone after a Millikin punt with 7:20 left in the third quarter. After faking a handoff to Greenfield, Lehnen threw left to Hardy coming out of the backfield, who made the catch at the line of scrimmage and blew past his pursuers for a 32-yard score, Hardy's third of the game. 

Much as it did in the second period, North Central closed the third quarter with a score right before time expired. Lehnen capped a seven-play, 55-yard trek with his seventh rushing touchdown of the campaign, this one from eight yards out. The Cardinals' fourth-quarter scoring consisted of a safety after an errant snap on a Millikin punt attempt went out the back of the end zone and a 20-yard field goal by Tanner Rains. 

The Cardinals owned a 574-256 advantage in total yards and gained a season-high 378 rushing yards. Lehnen completed 12 of 18 passes for 196 yards and ran for 100 yards on nine attempts, his second time hitting the 100-yard mark on the ground. Greenfield ran 24 times for 199 yards, Hardy gained 128 yards on five receptions and Khori Blair made a career-high four catches for 47 yards. Lane Brinkman led the North Central defense with six tackles.

Greenfield's career rushing total now stands at 3,763 yards, putting him at No. 2 in the program's history. Steve Holden '06 owns the current Cardinal record with 3,898.

North Central travels to face Washington University in St. Louis Saturday at Francis Field, with kickoff set for 12:00 noon. The Bears are 6-2 overall (6-1 CCIW) following a 35-12 victory over Carroll University.  Click HERE for live coverage options.

Download the free North Central Cardinals app, available for iOS and Android devices, to receive up-to-the-minute news, scores and updates on your favorite North Central teams. Click HERE for more information.