Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324 

Sept. 16, 2023 - Treating the Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium faithful to a sterling effort in all three phases of the game, the North Central College football team dismantled the Carthage College Firebirds Saturday to the tune of a 70-0 shutout in the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) opener for both teams.

The No. 1-ranked Cardinals (2-0) used a series of explosive plays early to break the game open, finishing the contest with 647 total yards, averaging more than 10 yards per play. North Central's defense, meanwhile, allowed the Firebirds to gain only 64 passing yards (and 102 total) after Carthage put up 366 yards through the air in its season opener.

The hosts managed four plays of at least 50 yards in the first half to help break the game open early. North Central's first play from scrimmage saw quarterback Luke Lehnen fire the ball deep to Joey Lombardi for a 63-yard gain before hitting DeAngelo Hardy for a three-yard score just three plays later. Following a Carthage punt, Lehnen extended a drive with a 20-yard run on third down before connecting with Hardy on a 57-yard touchdown pass to double the Cardinals' lead to 14-0 with 3:20 still left in the first period.

North Central's next drive began with a 58-yard run by Joe Sacco, who finished the possession with a 15-yard touchdown run two plays later. The Firebirds fumbled the ball on the ensuing kickoff, and Josh Stevens collected the ball before racing 15 yards to the end zone to push the lead to 28-0 with 28 seconds left in the opening quarter.

Danny Nuccio stopped a Carthage possession with a tackle for no gain on fourth down-and-one at the Carthage 44-yard line. The Cardinals needed just three plays to score from there, as Lehnen hit Lombardi in the middle of the field for a 22-yard scoring strike. A 50-yard pass from Lehnen to Jack Rummell ended with a fumble at the Carthage 20, but Zack Orr stepped in front of Firebird quarterback Bryce Lowe's pass on the very next play to give the home team possession once again at the Firebirds' 26-yard line. Lehnen threw to Lombardi for 25 more yards before a one-yard scoring pass to Rummell to push the lead to 42-0.

Taking possession at its own 24 with 5:52 remaining, the hosts drove 76 yards in 11 plays and tacked on the final score of the half on a three-yard run by Jordan Chisum with 30 seconds on the clock. North Central went into the break with 431 total yards, more than the 414 it recorded in its entire season opener at Roosevelt University Sept. 2.

Sean Allen's 42-yard return of the second-half kickoff enabled the Cardinals to start their next drive at the Carthage 34, and Lehnen ran for a 12-yard touchdown to push the lead to 56-0 on the fourth play of the possession. The Firebirds dropped back to punt on their next drive, but Kyler Green broke through the line to block the attempt and set the hosts up just nine yards from the goal line. Allen ran for a five-yard score to leave the tally at 63-0 with 9:52 left in the third period, and Green stopped the next Carthage possession with an interception at the North Central 37.

The final touchdown of the afternoon came with 14:02 left in the game. Facing third down-and-21 at the Carthage 39, Jordan Williams ran up the middle for 19 yards. On fourth down-and-two from the 20, Williams took the ball once again and ran for the Cardinals' fifth rushing touchdown of the day.

Lehnen finished the game 10 of 12 passing for 263 yards, connecting with Hardy five times for 102 yards and hitting Lombardi three times for 110. Sacco gained 131 rushing yards on 11 carries, while Darius Byrd ran for 65 yards on eight carries and Chisum ran eight times for 59 yards. The Cardinals scored on all seven red-zone opportunities.

Carthage's 102 yards ranks as the fifth-fewest recorded by a North Central opponent, as the Cardinals allowed just six first downs and forced the Firebirds to punt nine times. Riley McCurdy was the team's leading tackler (4) as North Central recorded nine tackles for loss.

The Cardinals travel to face Elmhurst University Saturday. Kickoff at Langhorst Field is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Click HERE for the full 2023 schedule.

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