The fourth-ranked Thunder defeats Millikin 37-15
Stephen Pagh led the Thunder defense with a season-high 12 total tackles
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BOXSCORE
Wheaton, Ill. – The Thunder football team was a 37-15 victor against Millikin University on Saturday night at McCully Stadium. Wheaton, ranked fourth in this week's D3Football.com Top-25 poll, is now 6-0 overall and 3-0 in the CCIW. Millikin falls to 2-4 overall and 0-3 in the CCIW.
Wheaton will host the CCIW's other undefeated team next Saturday when eighth-ranked North Central visits McCully Stadium for a 7 PM kickoff in the annual battle for the Little Brass Bell. Next Saturday's game will be broadcast on WETN-radio and WETN-TV in the Wheaton area with streaming video on the internet at http://www.wetn.org Live statistics will also be available online.
Wheaton took a 7-0 lead tonight when sophomore Rocky Gingg (PICTURED RIGHT) scored on a five-yard touchdown run with 7:44 left in the first quarter. Gingg's visit to the end zone culminated an 11-play drive of 81 yards. Quarterback Sean Norris extended Wheaton's lead to 14-0 with 6:48 left in the second quarter when he scored on an 11-yard run to cap a three-play drive of 84 yards. It was Norris' arm that set up his touchdown run when he connected on a 25-yard pass to tight end Mike Berttucci to open the drive and the play before Norris' score was a 48-yard pass from to receiver Andy McClain. Wheaton held a 14-0 edge at halftime.
Wheaton's first drive of the second half concluded with Gingg scoring on a three-yard touchdown run to cap an eight play drive of 33 yards. Senior Pete Ittersagen returned the opening kickoff of the half 53 yards to set up the scoring drive. The following PAT attempt was blocked to account for a 20-0 Wheaton lead.
Wheaton's lead increased to 27-0 when Norris (PICTURED LEFT) connected with fullback Jeff Lake on a 27-yard touchdown toss with 14:03 left in the fourth quarter. Millikin reached the scoreboard when quarterback Andy Dicken threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Chris Hampton. Thunder kicker Tim Ellingsen kicked a 21-yard field goal to extend the Wheaton advantage to 30-7 with 9:28 left in the game. Millikin's Drew Fendrich scored on a six-yard run and the Big Blue scored two points on a blocked PAT that was run into the end zone to cut the Thunder lead to 30-15 with 2:02 left in the game. Wheaton's final score of the game a 41-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Kyle Bradley to sophomore receiver Charlie Antal with 1:40 left in the game to account for the 37-15 final score.
Wheaton tallied 424 yards of total offense, with 327 passing yards and 97 rushing yards. Millikin tallied 306 yards of offense, with 224 passing yards and 82 rushing yards.
Norris was 18-for-33 passing, with 286 yards and one touchdown toss. McClain was Wheaton's leading receiver with five catches for a career-high 114 yards. Senior Alex Pokorny caught four passes for 73 yards. Gingg carried the ball 15 times for 33 yards, with two touchdowns.
Senior linebacker Stephen Pagh led the Thunder defense with a season-high 12 total tackles and he added a forced fumble. Ittersagen, Mike McKinney and Grant Roszkowiak each made six total tackles and McKinney forced a fumble. Senior Jordan Schirman (PICTURED RIGHT) made four total tackles; he recovered a fumble and blocked a Millikin field goal attempt in the second quarter. Cornerback Tyler Langs recorded an interception and made four total tackles.
Dicken completed 13 of his 32 passing attempts for the Big Blue, with one touchdown, and an interception. Dicken was Millikin's leading rusher with 32 yards on eight carries. Hampton caught four passes for 68 yards with a touchdown. Sam Jordan led the Millikin defense with 11 total tackles. Kevin Israelson added nine tackles and Bobby Galichio made seven tackles.
