Rain doesn't deter Thunder in 41-14 win at Carthage (Boxscore)

Kenosha, Wis.

(10/13) - The Wheaton Thunder struck often

tonight in a 41-14 win at Carthage College's rain soaked Art Keller Field.

The rain came down throughout the entire 2 hour and 50 minute contest, but

Wheaton's offense and defense both played well. Wheaton improves to 3-3

overall and 2-1 in conference play, while Carthage is 4-2 overall and 1-2

in CCIW action.

Wheaton scored on its

first drive of the game when receiver Brad Musso caught a 56-yard

touchdown pass from quarterback Josh Anderson on the third play of

the drive to give the Thunder a 6-0 lead with 10:23 to play in the first

quarter. With 2:49 to play in the first quarter Musso and Anderson connected

again on a 16-yard touchdown pass to give Wheaton a 12-0 lead. Carthage's

Randal Baker reached the end zone on a five-yard touchdown run with

14:40 to play in the second quarter, making it a 12-7 Wheaton advantage.

Baker's touchdown was setup by a 36-yard punt return by Conor Glascot

that gave the hosts the ball at the Wheaton five-yard line. One play

later Baker was in the end zone. Wheaton scored on the next drive when Anderson

found Corey Noonan on a 17-yard pass to give Wheaton an 18-7 advantage.

The touchdown was setup by a 53-yard kick return by junior Bryant Wolfsberger.

Wolfsberger returned the kickoff that followed Baker's touchdown to Carthage's

28-yard line and six plays later Noonan was in the end zone with 11:44 to

play in the first half. Wheaton carried its 18-7 advantage into the locker

room at halftime.

With 9:27 to play in

the third quarter Musso caught his third touchdown reception of the night

on a 12-yard pass from Anderson, giving Wheaton a 24-7 advantage. Junior

Mike Whalen set up Wheaton's fourth touchdown of the night with a

sensational 52-yard punt return down the sideline that took him to the Carthage

seven-yard line. Three plays later Musso caught Anderson's pass in the end

zone. Carthage cut Wheaton's lead to 24-14 with 3:36 left in the third quarter

when Rob Garnes caught an 11-yard pass from Patrick Brown.

Wheaton began to pull away with the lead at 31-14 when Randy Rosen

caught a six-yard pass from Anderson with 12:38 to play in the contest.

With 7:43 to play in the game Whalen scored on a five-yard touchdown run

to give Wheaton a 38-14 lead. The 41-14 final score came as a result of

sophomore Grant Tillotson 's 27-yard field goal with 5:21 to play

in the game. Tillotson's field goal was set up when Carthage fumbled the

kickoff that followed Rosen's touchdown catch and Wheaton recovered it at

Carthage's six-yard line.

Anderson

led the Thunder offense with 19 completions on 29 attempts with a career-high

five touchdown passes and no interceptions. Musso set season-highs for the

Thunder receiving corps with five catches for 122 yards and three touchdowns.

Noonan had four catches for 48 yards with one touchdown catch, while Rosen

had three catches for 21 yards with one touchdown reception. Whalen ran

for 51 yards on 15 carries with one touchdown run. Whalen also had eight

punt returns for 162 yards, including his sensational 52-yard return. Wolfsberger

returned three kickoffs for 88 yards, including the 53-yard return. The

Thunder offense amassed 355 yards of total offense on 76 plays for an average

of 4.7 yards per play.

Wheaton's defense held

Carthage to 177 yards of total offense on just 55 plays for an average of

3.2 yards per play. Linebacker Kevin Sellers made eight total tackles

with a quarterback sack (-10 yards), while fellow linebacker Justin Knapp

also made eight total tackles on the evening. Senior captain Jamie Busch

(PICTURED ABOVE RIGHT) made four tackles with two tackles for lost yardage

(-13 yards) and a quarterback sack (-12 yards).