19th-ranked Thunder football team tops Carroll, 22-10, on the road

Waukesha, Wis. – The 19th-ranked Thunder football team took their second trip to Wisconsin this season, taking on the Pioneers of Carroll University in a CCIW matchup on Saturday afternoon. The defensive battle saw Wheaton defeat Carroll 22-10 to improve to 2-1 on the season and 2-0 in conference play.

Mark Forcucci completed 26 of his 36 passes (72.2%) for 361 yards and a touchdown. Running back Giovanni Weeks also had a score through the air with a touchdown catch. Ben Bonga led the team with 10 receptions for 174 yards. Tight end Ben Juska, had six receptions for 61 yards and two touchdowns.

On defense, Chase Smith led the team in tackles with eight. Caleb McClung was all over the backfield with 2-½ tackles-for-loss. Seniors Max Wilson and Isaac Parrish both snagged an interception apiece for the Thunder.

Wheaton's Wilson set up the offense well with an interception of Carroll's Caden Pendelton on the seventh play from scrimmage early in the first quarter. Forcucci hit Breck Peacock on the next play for a 44-yard completion. A couple of penalties by the offense forced Wheaton to take a field goal by Mateo Jesch, and the Thunder went up 3-0.

The offense drove the ball down the field on the next possession. Forcucci found a lot of success through the air. He found Griffin Cropp, Weeks, and Davis Reeves for completions and capped off the drive with a touchdown pass to Juska for the 10-yard score (pictured left).

Parrish continued his standout senior campaign by picking off Pendelton on the next drive. However, the Thunder were unable to capitalize on takeaway. The Pioneers would kick a field goal leaving the score at 10-3 in Wheaton's favor at the half.

A solid return by the Pioneers gave them possession at midfield as the game returned from the break. However, the Wheaton defense held strong, and the Pioneers missed their field goal try. The defensive battle continued as Wheaton could not get anything going on offense. After a Pioneer punt return to midfield once again, Pendelton was able to hit Santiago Rios for a 28-yard touchdown reception, and the game was tied at 10.

After the quick score by Carroll, Wheaton slowed down the pace of the game. Forcucci used the variety of exceptional pass catchers at his disposal, hitting several short passes on the 13-play drive. A big 20-yard pass to Bonga set the Thunder up in the red zone, where Weeks pounded the ball in the endzone for his second rushing touchdown of the year. After a missed extra point, Wheaton held a 16-10 lead.

The defense responded well, forcing Carroll to turn the ball over on downs the next drive. To end the third quarter, Forcucci hit Bonga for a 51-yard pass down the sideline to set Wheaton up for the final quarter.

Wheaton's rushing attack was stymied by the home team for most of the game, but the running backs found a way to stay involved. With 12:21 left in the game, Weeks took the shotgun snap and lobbed the ball to Juska for his second touchdown reception of the game (pictured right). Wheaton went up 22-10, where the score would remain. Wheaton's defense kept Carroll's passers to a low 41% completion percentage (10-24) as the Pioneers were unable to get anything going in their remaining two drives.

Wheaton will return home and begin their preparation for next Saturday's Homecoming game against top-ranked North Central in the "Battle for the Little Brass Bell". Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at McCully Stadium.