Wheaton vs North Park University

Wheaton beat North Park University 33–7 at home in Wheaton, Ill. on Saturday, November 8, 1997. It was the eighth of nine games logged in 1997, and it left Wheaton at 4-4. It was the 29th meeting with North Park University, after which Wheaton led the series 24-5. Mike Swider was in his second season as head coach.

Wheaton Football Beats North Park for 18th Consecutive Season

(Wheaton, Ill./Nov. 8, 1997) -- Wheaton College football won for the fourth time in the last 5 weeks and its third consecutive game, defeating North Park University, 33-7, in Nov. 8 CCIW action at Wheaton's McCully Field. Wheaton's records improved to 4-4 overall and 4-2 in conference, and it is now tied with Illinois Wesleyan and Millikin for second place. North Park fell to 0-8 overall and 0-6 in conference, and has lost to Wheaton 18 consecutive seasons.

Wheaton closes out the 1997 season with a 1:00 PM game at North Central College, Saturday, Nov. 15, in Naperville. The game will be broadcast live on WETN-88.1 FM in the Wheaton area.

Wheaton led 14-0 after one quarter and 21-0 at halftime, and maintained the shutout until North Park scored with 7:05 left in the fourth quarter. Wheaton totalled 388 yards of offense against the Vikings, 190 rushing and 198 passing, and its defense allowed just 227, including 89 rushing yards and 138 passing.

Wheaton also intercepted 3 passes with the second interception of the year by senior outside linebacker Brandon Cone leading to its first touchdown in the first 50 seconds of the game. Junior strong safety Jerry Hawkes tipped a pass that was intercepted by sophomore cornerback John Peays in the second quarter, his fourth of the year, and Hawkes returned his third interception of the season 34 yards in the fourth quarter. Wheaton also sacked North Park quarterback Dana Anderson twice.

Junior quarterback Tim Hardy, the CCIW's leader in passing and total offense, completed 13 of 23 passes for 2 touchdowns and suffered no interceptions and also rushed 8 times for 63 yards and his third touchdown of the season. Hardy and sophomore fullback Jeff Ford shared the team's rushing lead -- Ford carried 12 times for 63 yards. Freshman halfback Brian Pastermack carried 7 times for 46 yards and scored his second collegiate touchdown, a 3-yard run with 11:18 left in the second quarter.

Senior receiver Brian Tucker, the CCIW leader in receptions, caught 4 passes for 31 yards and a 3-yard touchdown in the first quarter, his seventh touchdown reception of the season, and junior halfback Bjorn Johnson caught a 17-yard touchdown pass from Hardy in the third quarter, his sixth touchdown of the year and first through the air.

Senior fullback Jon Kotecki scored his first collegiate touchdown for Wheaton in 4 seasons, with a 2-yard carry with 3:26 left in the fourth quarter, capping the scoring.

Cone's interception on the first play of the game set Wheaton up at the 15-yard line, and Ford gained 14 yards on first down, and Hardy scored the 1-yard touchdown with just 50 seconds elapsed in the game. The Tucker and Hardy combination connected for a 3-yard score, capping a 94-yard drive with 4:46 left in the first quarter. Hardy also hit sophomore receiver Jay Westra for two 18-yard receptions during the drive.

Pastermack's 3-yard scamper ended a 15-play, 58-yard drive with 11:18 left before halftime, and senior placekicker Paul Boehms tacked on his third extra point for a 21-0 lead. Johnson, the team's leading rusher this season with 530 yards, ended a 68-yard drive with his 17-yard reception from Hardy with 7:40 left in the third quarter, and when Boehms missed the extra point, the score became 27-7.

North Park's leading rusher in the game was Sit Chanthavong, who carried 26 times for 61 yards and scored the Vikings' only touchdown on a 12-yard run with 7:05 left in the fourth quarter. Dana Anderson completed 14 of 27 passes for 134 yards in just over 3 quarters of action.

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