Complete Game Notes (PDF)

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Setting the Scene:  A rivalry put on hold in 2020 is renewed as Wheaton and North Central both seek to follow up an impressive season-opening victory with a win in an always highly-anticipated matchup.

Series History: This is the 102nd football meeting between the two institutions. Wheaton owns a 55-43-3 advantage in the all-time series and has won six of the past seven meetings.

The Thunder posted a 35-21 win over North Central in the teams' most recent encounter on Oct. 5, 2019. Wheaton trailed, 21-14, late in the third period before the Thunder closed the game with 21 unanswered points.

Quarterback Luke Anthony completed two touchdowns to Phillip Nichols and another to Adam Terrini during the game-clinching rally.

National Rankings: North Central was ranked No. 4 and Wheaton No. 5 in the most recent D3football.com Top 25 Poll. Both teams received four first-place votes. 

Scouting the Thunder: Wheaton opened its season Sept. 4 with a 56-0 shutout of Northwestern (Minn.) at home. The Thunder put up 21 points in the first quarter and owned a 513-113 advantage in total offensive yards, permitting the Eagles just nine total first downs.

Junior running back Giovanni Weeks ran for a game-high 126 yards on 18 carries while Sam Singleton and Jeremiah Tucker each ran for two touchdowns. Anthony completed 11 of 20 passes for 148 yards and a score.

Linebacker Ryan Schwartz finished with a team-leading seven tackles, including three of Wheaton's 12 tackles for loss, while cornerback Caleb Egbert  returned an interception 21 yards to the end zone.

This Week for the Cardinals: North Central opened its season Saturday with a top-25 clash against then-No. 21-ranked Aurora and took charge from start to finish, routing the Spartans, 64-7, at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium.

The Cardinals scored touchdowns on their first five possessions of the game and posted their third-highest yardage total (610) and second-highest point total ever in a season-opening game.

Ethan Greenfield ran for 137 yards and three touchdowns on 16 carries, becoming the third player in program history to score 40 career rushing touchdowns. Andrew Kamienski, meanwhile, gained 148 yards on six receptions and scored his 47th career touchdowns, leaving him just one short of Nick Kukuc's '13 North Central career record of 48.

In his first start at quarterback, Luke Lehnen completed 13 of 24 passes for 264 yards and three scores while also recording a 60-yard punt. The Cardinal defense, which forced four turnovers and limited the high-octane Aurora offense to 219 yards, was led by Ben Wong's team-high eight tackles.

Beesley, Wong Earn Academic All-America Honors: Jake Beesley and Ben Wong were both honored as First Team Academic All-America selections last spring by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). 

Wong is a two-time recipient of the distinction, having been so honored following the 2019 season as well. The awards are the fifth and sixth to be earned by members of the Cardinal football program.

North Central Career Rankings:  Kamienski is the program's all-time leader in career receptions (268), receiving yards (3,902) and receiving touchdowns (47) while ranking fourth in points scored (282) and fifth in all-purpose yards (4,329), Jake Beesley sits 11th in pass breakups (19) and 12th in passes defended (26) and Ben Wong ranks 12th all-time in tackles (181).

Greenfield ranks third all-time in rushing touchdowns (40), fifth in rushing yards (3,023) and sixth in all-purpose yards (3,664) and points scored (264).

Around the CCIW: All 10 CCIW teams enter conference play this week. Illinois Wesleyan visits Carroll today, while Carthage travels to Elmhurst, North Park plays at Washington (Mo.) and Millikin ventures to Augustana.

This Day in Cardinal Football History: 1976 vs. Millikin – Trailing, 28-7, midway through the third period, the Cardinals closed the contest with 22 unanswered points to upend the Big Blue, 29-28.

Quarterback Mike Spejcher opened the rally with a seven-yard touchdown run before passing to Bill Shupryt for a three-yard score. Shupryt ran in for a two-point conversion to narrow the gap to 28-22, then scored the game-winning TD with under a minute to play.

Shupryt went on to post single-season school records for rushing attempts (221), yards (1,148) and touchdowns (14) that stood for more than 30 years.

'Red Zone' Returns in 2021: Once again, fans of North Central College football can get an insider's look at the Cardinals' football program, as 'The Red Zone' highlight show returns for its 13th season on Naperville Community Television, Channel 17. 

The show airs each Thursday at 8 p.m., Friday at 12:30 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 3:30, 7:00 and 9:30 p.m., Saturday at 12:30 and 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. It will feature interviews with coaches and players, highlights of the previous week's game, and a look ahead to the upcoming opponent. 

Each show is viewable online at nctv17.com and is archived at youtube.com/northcentralsports as well as at northcentralcardinals.com.