Steve Woltmann

Football Week 6 Preview: North Park

10/16/2025 2:35:00 PM

Setting the Scene: Hitting the road for the first time in October, the No. 1 North Central College football team heads to Chicago to take on North Park University for a 1 p.m. kickoff at Holmgren Athletic Complex. The Cardinals have held the Vikings scoreless in six of the past seven matchups.

Series History: North Central is 52-10-2 all-time against North Park, winning each of the past 28 contests. This winning streak is the longest active streak against any Cardinal opponent.

North Central College delivered its most dominant performance of the 2024 season, defeating North Park University 69-0 in front of a Homecoming crowd at Benedetti–Wehrli Stadium.

The Cardinals shut out the Vikings for the third consecutive season and extended their win streak in the series to 27 games. North Central’s defense allowed just 84 total yards, the third-lowest total in program history, and held North Park—ranked fifth nationally in Division III passing offense—to 78 yards through the air.

Quarterback Luke Lehnen became the first player in NCAA history across all divisions to throw a touchdown pass in 50 consecutive games. He completed 11 of 17 passes for 182 yards and three touchdowns. Sean Allen rushed for two scores, while Charles Coleman added a rushing and receiving touchdown. Donovan McNeal led the ground game with 77 yards, including a season-long 64-yard run.

Sean Ryniec scored 15 points on two field goals and nine extra points, tying the third-highest single-game kicking total in school history. Will Vernon returned an interception 48 yards for a touchdown, marking North Central’s third pick-six in four games.

The Cardinals scored on 10 straight possessions after an opening punt and finished with 471 total yards, including 284 rushing. BJ Adamchik led the defense with six tackles and three of the team’s season-high 12 tackles for loss. Jahmar Daniel added five tackles, and Jacob Vincent had four.

National Rankings: North Central is ranked No. 1 nationally in the latest NCAA Division III Top 25 polls released by D3football.com and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA).

The defending national champion Cardinals earned 22 of 25 first-place votes in the D3football.com poll and swept all 52 first-place votes in the AFCA rankings. North Central has now held the top spot in 40 consecutive AFCA polls and 48 of the last 51 D3football.com polls.

Scouting the Vikings: North Park enters Saturday’s matchup with a 2-3 overall record, including a 1-3 mark in the CCIW. The Vikings have earned wins over Ripon (35-19) and Elmhurst (34-6). They average 23.4 points per game while allowing 19.0, and generate 330.8 yards of total offense per contest, including 217.0 through the air.

North Park utilizes a two-quarterback system. Cailix Dillon has completed 40 of 74 passes for 518 yards, three touchdowns and five interceptions. Justen Green is 32-for-61 for 501 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions. Aidan Delisi leads the ground game with 208 yards and three touchdowns on 49 carries, while Dillon has added 99 rushing yards on 22 attempts. Jereme Ombogo is the Vikings’ top receiving threat, hauling in 18 passes for 353 yards and four touchdowns.

Defensively, DJ Johnson leads the team with 37 tackles, followed by Ben Butler with 24. Samuel Aguirre and Darrius Whiters have each recorded two interceptions, and Theo Smith has registered two

1958 vs Augustana - North Central College delivered a historic blowout, defeating Elmhurst 86–0 and spoiling the Bluejays’ homecoming. The Cardinals set a new program record for points in a game, with 44 players seeing action and 14 contributing to the scoring. Stuart Perkins kicked nine extra points, a single-game record for conversions. Larry Cruder led with three rushing touchdowns, while John Turpin added two. Don Long returned an interception 35 yards for a score, and George Twar, Frank Shigut, and George Pichotta each scored on short runs. In the second half, Bill Melsheimer connected with Reinhold Fritz and Lonnie Long for touchdown passes, while Chuck Roefle and Ed Pine added rushing scores. Fritz also kicked one extra point. Coach Vail rotated in second and third squads for much of the game. North Central dominated statistically, gaining 456 total yards and intercepting three passes, while Elmhurst failed to score..

This Week in the CCIW: North Central has won the last four CCIW titles, going 9-0 in conference play each season. The Cardinals are the league’s only unbeaten team entering Saturday, with Augustana, WashU, Wheaton and Illinois Wesleyan all at 3-1.

All but one CCIW contests kickoff at 1 p.m. with Augustana hosting Carroll, Wheaton hosting Carthage, WashU hosting Elmhurst and North Park hosting North Central. Millikin welcomes Illinois Wesleyan to Decatur for a 6 p.m. kickoff.

Aidan Ellison strikes the football with his right foot in an attempt to make a field goal amongst an oncoming rush of defenders.

CCIW/National Recognition: North Central College wide receiver Thomas Skokna delivered a record-breaking performance in the Cardinals’ 59–10 win over Millikin, earning D3football.com Team of the Week and his first CCIW Offensive Player of the Week honors. Skokna caught five touchdown passes—the most in any NCAA game this season—and tied the school record with 30 points in a single game. His 206 receiving yards rank fifth in program history, and his 10 touchdowns this season place him second in Division III. He now has 23 career receiving scores, fifth-most in school history. Kicker Aidan Ellison was named CCIW Special Teams Player of the Week after hitting a 50-yard field goal, tying for fourth-longest in program history. He’s 5-for-6 on field goals and 24-for-25 on extra points this season. The Cardinals rank second nationally in total offense (558.2 yards/game), sixth in scoring (49.0 points/game), and remain No. 1 in both major Division III polls.

A Look Back: North Central College head football coach Brad Spencer, quarterback Garret Wilson, defensive lineman Maverick Ohle and wide receiver Thomas Skokna respond to questions following the Cardinals' 59-10 victory over Millikin at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium in Naperville, Illinois

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