Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
Oct. 29, 2022 - A series of explosive plays in all phases of the game pushed the North Central College football team to another overwhelming victory Saturday, as the No. 1-ranked Cardinals decimated the North Park University Vikings, 59-0, at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium.
The victory is a school-record fourth straight shutout for No. 1-ranked North Central (8-0, 7-0 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin), which neutralized the Vikings' high-volume passing attack and negated North Park's ball-control strategy by averaging nearly nine yards per play and scoring six touchdowns on drives of five plays or fewer.
Luke Lehnen opened the scoring with 9:41 left in the opening quarter, rolling to his right and looking to pass before taking off for a seven-yard touchdown run. Backup running back Jordan Chisum came in to relieve starter Ethan Greenfield later in the period and promptly took a handoff 25 yards to the end zone, and Lehnen added a second touchdown scamper, this time from 34 yards away, to give the hosts a 21-0 advantage after one quarter.
A 58-yard punt return by John Michael Scumaci early in the second period set the Cardinals up just 10 yards from another score, and Lehnen delivered three plays later with a seven-yard touchdown pass to Rory Hills. North Central followed with its second defensive score of the season as Zack Orr picked off Matt Eck's pass and raced 48 yards for the touchdown with 8:50 left in the half.
Lehnen notched his career-best third scoring run of the game just before halftime, keeping the ball on the read option and weaving his way through traffic for a 29-yard touchdown which left the score at 42-0 at halftime.
Linebacker Sam Taviani, who led North Central with 11 tackles, made a crucial stop on fourth down to get the Vikings' offense off the field before Lehnen fired the ball deep to Jake Lynch, who secured the catch and outran the last of the North Park defense for a 56-yard touchdown reception. An interception by Garrett Fiduccia ended another North Park drive, which the Cardinals turned into a 32-yard field goal by Tanner Rains just before the third quarter ended.
Fiduccia thwarted another fourth-down attempt with a pass breakup early in the fourth quarter. Joe Sacco scored the game's final touchdown with 9:55 left on a 14-yard run, and Jahmar Daniel put an end to the final Viking drive of the day, intercepting a pass in the end zone with 35 seconds left.
Lehnen completed 9 of 12 passes for 141 and gained a game-high 102 yards on just five rushing attempts. Greenfield gained 70 yards on 14 carries while Scumaci and Hills each established career highs with three receptions. Julian Bell finished with three pass breakups.
The Cardinals travel to face Illinois Wesleyan University Saturday. The Titans are 5-3 overall (4-3 CCIW) following a 24-21 loss to Augustana College. Kickoff at Tucci Stadium is set for 1:00 p.m. Click HERE for the full 2022 schedule.
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