Wheaton handles Elmhurst 48-14 at McCully Field (Boxscore)

Wheaton,

Ill. (10/27)

- The Wheaton Thunder football team easily improved to 4-4 overall and 3-2

in conference play with a 48-14 win over Elmhurst (2-6/1-4 CCIW) today at

Wheaton's McCully Field. The Thunder tallied 410 offensive yards on just 64

plays for an average of 6.4 yards per play. Junior running back Mike Whalen

(Wimberley, Texas/Wimberley) ran for three touchdowns with 146 rushing yards

on 16 carries. Wheaton had good field position all day, as the average field

position for the Thunder was its own 46-yard line, while Elmhurst's average

position was its own 23-yard line. Four of Wheaton's seven touchdowns came

in drives that were 50 yards or shorter.

Wheaton

took a 7-0 lead with 9:54 to play in the first quarter on a one-yard touchdown

run by junior fullback Corey Noonan (Phoenix, Ariz./Desert Vista).

Noonan's touchdown was set up four plays earlier by a 34 yard run from Whalen

(PICTURED LEFT). Whalen gave the hosts a 13-0 advantage with 14:09 to play

in the first half on six-yard touchdown scamper that capped a nine-play drive

of 69 yards. Whalen's touchdown was set up six plays earlier on a 40-yard

pass down the middle of the field from junior quarterback Josh Anderson

(Claremont, Calif./Claremont) to wide receiver Jon Wills (Mahomet,

Ill./Mahomet-Seymour). Wheaton took a 21-0 lead with 4:59 to play in the first

half on a 17-yard touchdown toss from Anderson to sophomore Andrew King

(Vista, Calif./Rancho Buena Vista). Wheaton held a 28-0 halftime lead thanks

to a three-yard touchdown run by Whalen with 1:31 to play in the second quarter.

Whalen's touchdown capped a five-play drive of 48 yards that saw Anderson

throw two passes to freshman Jason McDearmon (Morrison, Ill./Morrison)

for 23 yards and Whalen amass 25 rushing yards.

McDearmon

gave Wheaton a 35-0 lead with 10:19 to play in the third quarter when he caught

a 30-yard pass in the end zone from Anderson. McDearmon's touchdown catch

was the only play of the drive. Whalen gave the hosts a 42-0 advantage with

a 47-yard touchdown run, capping a three-play drive of 50 yards. Sophomore

running back Dan Price (Monument, Colo./Lewis-Palmer) gave the Thunder

a 48-0 lead on one-yard touchdown run that capped a three-play drive of 19

yards. Price's touchdown was setup by an interception of Elmhurst quarterback

Juan Quesada by Wheaton safety Bob Bollweg (Wheaton, Ill./North)

at the Elmhurst 19-yard line. Elmhurst got on the scoreboard with 11:14 to

play in the game when Quesada reached the end zone on a 13-yard run that capped

a 13-play drive of 80 yards. Elmhurst's Jason Helms made it a 48-14 final

score when he scored on a nine-yard run into the end zone with 6:38 to play

in the game.

Whalen paced

the Wheaton offense and Price added his touchdown run with 20 yards on six

carries. Anderson completed 10 passes on 16 attempts for 173 yards with two

touchdowns and no interceptions. Wills caught three passes for 76 yards and

McDearmon had three receptions for 53 yards and the one touchdown catch.

The

Wheaton defense made 20 tackles for lost yardage, amassing -60-yards behind

the line of scrimmage. Junior linebacker Justin Knapp (Ames, Iowa/Ames)

led the Wheaton defense with 11 total tackles (seven solo), including three

tackles for lost yardage (-6 yards). Bollweg (PICTURED LEFT) made five tackles

with one tackle for lost yardage (-4 yards) and the interception. Senior Bryan

Ittersagen (Wheaton, Ill./North) made five solo tackles with one tackle

for lost yardage (-2 yards). Sophomore linebacker Jeff Mumm (Grapevine,

Texas/Colleyville Heritage) made five tackles with two tackles behind the

line of scrimmage (-3 yards). Junior John Diggs (San Antonio, Texas/Alamo

Heights) also made five tackles with three tackles for lost yardage (-8 yards)

and quarterback sack (-4 yards). Junior linebacker Kevin Sellers (Phoenix,

Ariz./Desert Vista) made five tackles with three tackles for lost yardage

(-8 yards) and a quarterback sack.

Quesada carried

the ball 35 times for 99 yards with one touchdown, but lost 43 yards behind

the line of scrimmage. He completed eight passes on 16 attempts for 72 yards

with one interception and four sacks. Faron Ryan led the Bluejay defense

with 13 total tackles, including three tackles for lost yardage (-7 yards).

Benitez Brown made 10 total tackles and John McMillian added

eight tackles.