Complete Game Notes (PDF)

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Setting the Scene:  The Cardinals open their 14th postseason appearance by hosting the champions of the Midwest Conference in a rematch of the very first collegiate game for many of the team’s seniors.

Series History: This is the 51st football meeting between the two institutions. The Foresters own a 29-17-4 advantage in the all-time series, though their most recent victory over North Central occurred in 1958.

The teams met for the first time in 45 years Sept. 8, 2018 at Lake Forest. The Cardinals scored 56 unanswered points and departed Farwell Field with a 70-14 victory, rolling up 633 yards of offense.

North Central’s second touchdown of the game was a 20-yard run by Ethan Greenfield, his first at the collegiate level. In the fourth quarter, Terrence Hill scored his first two college touchdowns on runs of three and eight yards. Dan Gilroy registered three tackles, including a tackle for loss.

National Rankings: North Central is ranked No. 1 by D3football.com and the first American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). 

Scouting the Foresters: Lake Forest closed out its regular-season schedule Saturday with a 13-7 victory at Chicago. The Foresters finished in a three-way tie for first place in the Midwest Conference with Ripon and Monmouth. Lake Forest’s only loss this season was to Ripon, 16-14, on Oct. 15.

The Foresters rank second nationally in total defense, allowing just 175 yards per game, and sit sixth in scoring defense at 7.8 points allowed per contest. Lake Forest’s opponents have managed just 102.8 passing yards per game, the lowest mark in the nation.

Defensive end Alex Bendler and defensive back Thomas DeChesaro are the Foresters’ leading tacklers and Bendler ranks 12th nationally in tackles for loss per game (2.0).

Lake Forest’s offense has gained 203 of its 323 yards per game on the ground. Damon Bonds and Armani Brown have combined for nearly 1,600 yards and 21 touchdowns while quarterback Tre Stewart has thrown for 13 touchdowns and run for six.

This Week for the Cardinals: North Central closed out its sixth ten-win regular season Saturday with a 63-3 win over Augustana. The Cardinals’ average margin of victory of 53.2 points per game is a new Division III national record for a 10-game regular season.

The Cardinals lead all NCAA Division III teams in scoring offense (58.3 ppg), total offense (574.2 yards per game) and rushing offense (380.4 ypg) this season and have not allowed a touchdown since Oct. 1 against Wheaton.

CCIW Student-Athlete of the Week: Ethan Greenfield and Tanner Rains were selected as the CCIW Student-Athletes of the Week on Offense and Defense, respectively, following Saturday's victory. It is the second such award this season for Rains and the first for Greenfield.  

Luke Lehnen, DeAngelo Hardy, BJ Adamchik and Dan Lester (twice) have also been recognized by the CCIW this season.

CCIW All-Conference Teams: North Central had a school-record 19 players receive All-Conference honors from the CCIW Tuesday.

Ethan Greenfield was named the CCIW Offensive Player of the Year, while Dan Lester was voted Co-Defensive Player of the Year and Jeske Maples was named Offensive Lineman of the Year. North Central has won the Offensive Lineman of the Year award each year it has been presented.

Greenfield was joined on the Offensive First Team by DeAngelo Hardy, Jarod Thornton and Sam Pryor, while   Tyler Rich, BJ Adamchik, Julian Bell and Antwain Walker join Lester on the Defensive First Team. Tanner Rains was voted the CCIW's All-Conference kicker.

Named to the Offensive First Team are Luke Lehnen, Terrence Hill, Matt Robinson and  Will Ebert, while Brandon Greifelt, Sam Taviani  and Zack Orr made the Defensive Second Team.

North Central head coach Brad Spencer was voted the CCIW Bob Reade Coach of the Year.

North Central in the NCAA Playoffs:  The Cardinals own a 23-12 overall record in the Division III Football Championship, including victories in heir last 12 first-round games.

North Central won its first national title in 2019 and finished as the national runner-up in 2021. The Cardinals first qualified for the national quarterfinals in 2010 and the semifinals in 2013.

NCAA All-Time Active Leaders:  Greenfield is the second-leading active rusher in all of college football and ranks 11th all-time in Division III history with a North Central-record 6,052 yards.

Greenfield also ranks second among active players in career all-purpose yards (6,957) and points scored (516). He ranks seventh in Division III history in scoring and 17th in all-purpose yards.

Greenfield is the current active career leader in points per game (11.2).

National Statistical Rankings: Lehnen sits fourth nationally in passing efficiency (192.0), sixth in yards per pass attempt (10.15) and 23rd in passing touchdowns (24).

Greenfield is the Division III national leader in yards per rushing attempt (8.25) while ranking third in rushing touchdowns (18) and total touchdowns (20) and fifth in rushing yards per game (137.0) and points scored (120).

Hardy currently sits ninth nationwide in receiving touchdowns (12) and is tied with Rains for 17th nationally in scoring (96) while Lester ranks 21st in tackles for loss per game (1.8).

As a team, North Central leads all of Division III in scoring (58.3 ppg), total yards (574.5 ypg), rushing offense (380.4 ypg), scoring defense (5.1 points allowed per game) while ranking 12th in total defense (221.3 yards allowed).

North Central Career Rankings: Hardy ranks third in school history in touchdown receptions (30), fourth in receiving yards (2,423) and fifth in total receptions (142).  

Terrence Hill is sixth all-time in total touchdowns (42), seventh in rushing touchdowns (34) and 10th in rushing yards (2,025).  
Lehnen ranks fifth in North Central history in passing touchdowns (57), passing yards (5,142) and completions (322).
 

'Red Zone' Returns in 2022: 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 14th 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.