Contact: Nicholas Osterloo, Director of Athletics Communication, 630-637-5324
Story written by secondary contact Alex Mielcarz, Athletics Communication Graduate Assistant, ajmielcarz@noctrl.edu
CHICAGO (Oct. 18, 2025) – North Central College extended its winning streak against North Park University to 29 with its third shutout of the season in addition to its highest scoring output since October of 2023, defeating the Vikings 75-0 at Holmgren Athletic Complex in Chicago in a College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin clash.
The win ties for the seventh-largest margin of victory in North Central's history, marking yet another week of record-setting performances from the Cardinals.
North Central's (6-0, 5-0) first drive of the day ended in a short touchdown catch by Donovan McNeal off a feed from Garret Wilson to give the Cardinals an early lead.
After his record-tying six touchdown performance in last week's contest, Wilson threw four more touchdowns today, completing 11 of his 17 pass attempts for 139 yards.
Thomas Skokna, who broke the conference record for touchdown receptions in a single game last week, grabbed his 11th touchdown of the season on North Central's second drive, hauling in a perfectly placed touch pass from Wilson for a 25-yard touchdown.
Skokna led the Cardinals in receiving Saturday, catching six passes for 84 yards and two touchdowns.
The offensive onslaught continued into the second quarter, with the Cardinals finding the endzone on a seven-yard Demir Ashiru pass to Jack Rummell, putting the exclamation point on the end of a methodical 10-play 61-yard drive.
Ashiru found success through the air today, going a picture-perfect five of five passing, with two of his completions being touchdowns. He added another 59 yards rushing, scoring a rushing touchdown in the second half.
The North Central defense was dominant from start to finish, allowing the Vikings to pick up only five first downs while holding the North Park rushing attack to a total of -3 yards (fifth best in program history), marking the second time the Cardinals have held an opponent to negative rushing yards (-2 against Wheaton).
The defense sacked the quarterback three times (two from Bobby Medina and one from Trevon Hunter). John Sullivan had five tackles on the afternoon to lead the Cardinals, including 2.5 tackles for loss. Medina, Eli Renick, Rahmareon Roby and Lucas Rossini each had four tackles, with Medina collecting three tackles for loss to lead the Cardinals, while Roby had two.
Halfway through the second, the defensive front pressured North Park quarterback Justin Green into floating a pass downfield on fourth down that was intercepted by Brayden Garrigan to end the Viking scoring threat.
A few drives later, the Cardinal offense found its way into the endzone again, doing so on a five-yard reception by Skokna from Wilson, extending the Cardinal lead to 27.
The Cardinals' special teams unit got in on the action, too. After the defense forced yet another three-and-out, North Park came out to punt. The snap was high, giving David Ballard III time to explode from the edge and get a hand on the punt, which rolled out of bounds at the North Park three, setting the Cardinals up for a one-play touchdown drive: a three-yard rush by Sean Allen to give the Cardinals a commanding 34-0 lead going into the half.
The North Central rushing attack was paced by Zeb Rashid, who carried the ball 10 times for 85 yards. Allen led the team in carries with 11 for 65 yards and a touchdown.
In the second half, all three phases continued their dominance, particularly along the offensive and defensive lines. After a three-and-out to start the second half, the Cardinal defense forced a punt that set the Cardinals up at the North Park 40, and on the first play of the drive, Wilson connected with Rummell on a go route for a 40-yard touchdown catch.
Rummell finished the day with two receptions (both touchdowns) and 47 yards.
The defense forced its second turnover on the ensuing North Park drive, an interception by Matt Janiak returned for a touchdown.
The Cardinals allowed just 79 passing yards and a total of 76 yards on the afternoon.
North Central scored one more time in the third quarter: an 18-yard scamper by Ashiru on a perfectly executed zone read-option.
The offense would add on three more scores in the fourth quarter: an 18-yard back shoulder pass by Ashiru to Myles Walton, and two Blaise Galashky touchdowns of 36 yards and 10 yards, respectively.
With the win, the Cardinals extended their winning streak against North Park to 29 (the longest active streak against a single opponent) and their CCIW winning streak to 47.
Next Saturday, North Central welcomes Augustana College to Bennedetti-Wehrli Stadium in Naperville for a 1 p.m. kickoff and the Refuse to Lose: Cardinals Against Cancer game.
