Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
Sept. 24 2022 - Displaying complete mastery of its opposition yet again, the North Central College football team began the home portion of its 2022 schedule in grand style Saturday, bludgeoning Elmhurst University, 76-6, at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium.
The top-ranked Cardinals (3-0, 2-0 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin) rolled up 667 yards of offense (the ninth-highest total in program history), including 476 rushing yards (fourth-highest all-time). North Central has scored at least 70 points the last three times it has faced the Bluejays.
North Central's defense made an indelible mark on the contest as well, yielding just 81 total yards, the lowest ever recorded by a Cardinal opponent. The hosts also tied a single-game school record by recording six interceptions, each by a different player.
The Cardinals won the coin toss and needed just seven plays to establish a lead they would not relinquish, traveling 71 yards in seven plays and scoring the game's first touchdown when quarterback Luke Lehnen ran up the middle 23 yards to the end zone. After a short Elmhurst punt, the hosts took possession once again at the Bluejays' 41.
Just three plays and 34 seconds later, the lead doubled to 14-0 after Ethan Greenfield bore through the Elmhurst line for a two-yard TD run. Terrence Hill scored the next two touchdowns for the Cardinals, running in from four yards away before catching a 12-yard pass from Lehnen. At the end of the first period, North Central led, 28-0, and owned a 256-5 advantage in total yards.
Lehnen delivered a seven-yard touchdown pass to DeAngelo Hardy early in the second period and Ethan Greenfield plowed his way to a two-yard TD run before Nic Rummell scored North Central's first defensive touchdown of 2022, intercepting Connor Buyck's pass and returning it 35 yards to the end zone.
The final score of the first half came from Hardy, who caught a second seven-yard scoring pass with 54 seconds on the clock. The hosts went into halftime with a 55-0 advantage and a 435-24 edge in total yards.
After play resumed, the Cardinals scored twice in the third period on touchdown runs by Joe Sacco and Jordan Chisum, and backup quarterback Jake Johnson scored North Central's final touchdown on a one-yard run with 5:14 to play.
Elmhurst (0-3, 0-2 CCIW) got its lone score of the day with 58.7 seconds to play as Noah Henkel threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Max McCarville. The extra-point however, was blocked by Jahron Williams.
Antwain Walker registered the first North Central interception of the day, followed by Brandon Greifelt, Jahron Williams, Rummell, Nic Laird and Jahmar Daniel. Dan Lester led the Cardinals with a career-high four tackles for loss.
Greenfield ran for 137 yards on just 11 carries, moving into 22nd all-time in NCAA Division III history in rushing yards (5,026). Lehnen threw for 180 yards, completing 16 of 20 passes, while Hardy made four catches for 36 yards and Joey Lombardi made three grabs for 60 yards.
The Cardinals host 11th-ranked Wheaton College Saturday on North Central's Homecoming weekend for the annual Battle for the Little Brass Bell. Kickoff is set for 6:00 p.m.
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