Wheaton at Illinois Wesleyan University

Wheaton beat Illinois Wesleyan University 39–29 on the road in Bloomington, Ill. on Saturday, October 25, 1997. It was the sixth of nine games logged in 1997, and it left Wheaton at 2-4. It was the 42nd meeting with Illinois Wesleyan University, after which Wheaton trailed the series 19-21-2. Mike Swider was in his second season as head coach.

Wheaton Football Upsets Illinois Wesleyan, 39-29

(Bloomington, Ill./Oct. 25, 1997) -- In CCIW football action on Saturday, Oct. 25, Wheaton College upset Illinois Wesleyan, 39-29, for its third consecutive victory in Bloomington. Wheaton's records improved to 2-4 overall and 2-2 in conference, and the Titans fell to 4-2 overall and 2-2 in conference and had their 9-game home winning streak snapped.

Wheaton hosts Carthage College, a 22-17 winner at Millikin this week, for a CCIW game, Saturday, Nov. 1, at 1:00 PM, at McCully Field. The game will be broadcast live on WETN-88.1 FM.

Wheaton totalled 486 offensive yards, 252 rushing and 234 passing, committed no turnovers for the first time this season and was penalized just once (in the 4th quarter) while taking the ball away from the Titans twice. Senior placekicker Paul Boehms kicked a career-high 4 field goals and 3 extra points for 15 points, and has kicked 9 field goals in 11 tries this season.

Junior quarterback Tim Hardy completed 21 of 37 passes and a touchdown, and also rushed 12 times for 65 yards and a touchdown. Senior receiver Brian Tucker caught 9 passes for 95 yards; sophomore Jay Westra caught 3 passes for 67 yards; and sophomore Ben Peays caught 5 passes for 35 yards. Wheaton's leading rushers were junior tailback Bjorn Johnson with 13 carries for 79 yards, and sophomore fullback Jeff Ford with 17 carries for 81 yards.

IWU totalled 464 offensive yards, 321 passing and 143 rushing, and fullback Dana Smith rushed 25 times for 144 yards, and receiver Eric Larsen caught 7 passes for 180 yards and 3 touchdowns.

After senior linebacker Todd Kinley (Spokane, Wash./Lewis & Clark H.S.) recovered a Titan fumble at the Wheaton 15, Boehms capped a 12-play drive with a 34-yard field goal, his sixth of the season in 8 tries, giving Wheaton an early 3-0 lead with 9:14 left in the first quarter. Hardy completed 5 passes for 58 yards during the drive.

Junior strong safety Jerry Hawkes then stepped in front of an IWU receiver for an interception and returned the ball 35 yards for a touchdown. Boehms' extra point made the score 10-0 for Wheaton with 7:03 left in the first quarter.

After an IWU punt, Wheaton made it 17-0 as the first-quarter horn sounded driving 72 yards on 13 plays. Johnson took the ball into the end zone from 1 yard out, his fourth touchdown of the year, and Boehms kicked the extra point.

IWU countered with an 11-play, 78-yard drive, highlighted by a 31-yard pass from quarterback Chad Beaty to receiver Eric Larsen which took the ball to the Wheaton 25. Smith carried 8 times for 57 yards during the drive, including a 6-yard touchdown run with 9:31 left in the second quarter that cut the Wheaton lead to 17-7.

After Boehms' 23-yard punt rolled out of bounds at the Wheaton 44, the Titans drove again and reached the Wheaton 9, but a sack executed by junior defensive tackle James Roberson moved the ball back to the 19 and forced a 36-yard field goal attempt which sailed wide right.

Boehms missed a 37-yard field goal but Wheaton received new life when IWU ran into the kicker. With the ensuing 4th down and 6 situation, Wheaton gained just 4 yards and IWU took over possession. Four plays later, Beaty connected with Larsen for a 30-yard touchdown pass with 41 seconds left in the first half, and the extra point by Todd Rozboril cut the Wheaton lead to 17-14.

Wheaton totalled 200 offensive yards in the first half, 105 passing, and IWU totalled 262, 170 passing. Hardy completed 9 of 17 passes for 95 yards and rushed 8 times for 61 yards, and Tucker caught 4 passes for 47 yards in the first half. For the Titans, Larsen caught 4 passes for 91 yards and a touchdown, and Beaty completed 9 of 13 passes and was sacked 3 times by Wheaton in the first half.

On the first series of the second half, Boehms kicked his second field goal of the game and seventh of the season with 12:11 left in the third quarter, giving Wheaton a 20-14 lead. Boehms' kick ended a 10-play drive that was highlighted by Johnson's 29-yard run to the Titans' 33-yard line.

Illinois Wesleyan took its first lead of the game with 2:42 left in the third quarter, driving 78 yards on 12 plays with Beaty hitting Larsen for a 10-yard touchdown pass.

Wheaton answered back right away with a 66-yard; 5-play drive, regaining the lead with 1:19 left on a 7-yard touchdown pass from Hardy to Tucker. The Crusaders' touchdown was set up by a great one-handed reception by Westra for a total gain of 45 yards, his longest collegiate reception. The two-point conversion pass failed, so Wheaton led 26-21.

After an IWU punt, Boehms kicked a 42-yard field goal, his third field goal of the game and eighth of the season, to give Wheaton a 29-21 lead with 13:24 left in the game.

However, the Titans tied the game at 29-29 on the first play from scrimmage after the kick-off when reserve quarterback Brian Shemansky hit Larsen with a 65-yard touchdown pass, as Larsen broke a tackle on his way to his third touchdown of the game. The two-point conversion pass from Shemansky to Smith was successful, tying the score with 13:01 left in the game.

Boehms kicked his fourth field goal of the game and ninth of the season, a 25-yarder, giving Wheaton a 32-29 lead with 6:50 left in the game. The kick ended a 16-play drive, which included Hardy completing 4 passes for 27 yards, Johnson running 4 times for 17 yards, and Ford carrying 13 yards for an important first down to the IWU 30-yard line. Westra made another key catch for 11 yards putting the ball at the Titans' 12-yard line.

After the defense forced IWU to punt with 5:43 left in the game, Wheaton drove to the IWU 20-yard line, and on a fourth down and 2 play with 2:06 left, freshman tailback Brian Pastermack ran 15 yards to the IWU 5, giving Wheaton a first down and 4 fresh downs. On second down, Hardy scored from 4 yards out, and Boehms kicked the extra point, giving Wheaton a 39-29 lead with 1:21 left in the game.

IWU moved the ball down to the Wheaton 11-yard line with 2 pass plays, but Wheaton's defense came up big on 3 consecutive plays and took the ball over on downs with 50 seconds left. Wheaton ran 2 plays and took a knee on third down, completing the upset victory.

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