Contact: Nicholas Osterloo, Director of Athletics Communication, 630-637-5324
ELMHURST, Ill. (Nov. 1, 2025) - Earning a share of its 19th College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin Championship, the North Central College football team pitched its fourth shutout of the season in a 58-0 win over Elmhurst University on Saturday at Langhorst Field.
Following a 40-yard kick return from David Ballard III, Garret Wilson found Thomas Skokna for a 40-yard touchdown as Skokna made many defenders miss on his way to the end zone.
Elmhurst responded with a 70-yard drive, but the North Central defense stood tall, forcing four straight incompletions to put the ball back in the hands of the Cardinal offense. After a few chunk plays by Donovan McNeal and Skokna, Wilson hit Jack Rummell on 3rd & 8 for a 48-yard touchdown, giving North Central a 14-0 lead.
The Cardinal defense forced a Bluejay punt, as Eli Renick and Bobby Medina sacked Acoseta for a four-yard loss on the drive. Skokna fielded the punt off the turf at the Elmhurst 21-yard line and returned it 79 yards for a touchdown, the seventh-longest punt return in program history.
Another sack by Renick forced a three-and-out for Elmhurst. McNeal took a screen pass for 21 yards. Grant McAtee converted a 3rd & 8 with a 24-yard completion before Skokna caught a 3-yard touchdown pass from Wilson as North Central took a 28-0 lead into the second quarter.
Following an Elmhurst punt, McNeal and Williams added 22 yards on the ground while Rummell hauled in a 21-yard catch before Wilson hit Isaac Banker for the score on a 1-yard completion.
The ensuing Cardinal drive halted at the Elmhurst 34-yard line, highlighted by a Demir Ashiru 12-yard run to begin the drive. Aidan Ellison nailed a 51-yard field goal to give the Cardinals a 38-0 advantage. That kick is the fifth-longest in program history, edging out his 50 and 49-yard field goals earlier this season.
Rahmareon Roby picked up his first sack of the game as the Bluejays punted the ball back to the Cardinals with 1:46 left in the first half. Rummell caught two straight passes to move into Elmhurst territory. With 47 seconds left, McNeal found the end zone on a nine-yard run, extending the North Central lead to 45 at halftime.
The Bluejays put together a 14-play, 63-yard drive before Phillip Carlton Jr. forced a fumble, which Alex Gil recovered to keep Elmhurst scoreless. The teams traded a pair of drives that ended in a punt.
Beginning the fourth quarter, Zeb Rashid and Jordan Williams moved the ball into the red zone before Ashiru ran in a one-yard score, putting the Cardinals ahead 52-0.
Another three-and-out for Elmhurst allowed North Central to begin at midfield. Rashid, Ashiru and Galashky Blaise each tallied carries before a 21-yard field goal from Sean Ryniec tacked on three points. The next Cardinal drive, Ryniec added a 39-yard field goal as North Central claimed their 50th straight CCIW victory, 58-0.
Wilson ended the day 12-of-13 for 215 yards and four touchdowns. Rummell hauled in four passes for 100 yards and a touchdown, while Skokna added 56 yards for two scores. McNeal led all runners with 81 yards and a touchdown. Renick posted 1.5 sacks with Roby and Graham Wight each recording a sack. Carlton Jr. led the Cardinals with seven tackles and a forced fumble that Gil recovered.
North Central looks to win the CCIW outright for the fourth straight season next Saturday as the Cardinals host Illinois Wesleyan University for a noon kickoff at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium on senior day.
