Wheaton Thunder Football 2003 Game Stories Thunder fall to No. 1-ranked Mt. Union 56-10; End record season with 12 wins, most in school history (Boxscore)

Alliance, Ohio (12/6) - The number four-ranked Wheaton

College football team ended its most successful season ever with a 56-10 loss

to the three-time defending National Champion Mount Union Purple Raiders. Wheaton

ends the historic season with a 12-1 record, while Mount Union improves to 12-0.

Wheaton's twelve wins is the most in school history and their two playoff wins

are as well. Wheaton's second consecutive College Conference of Illinois and

Wisconsin Championship (CCIW) was the 12th in school history and the first back-to-back

titles for the program since the 1958-59 seasons. It was also the first time

a CCIW school has won out-right league titles in consecutive seasons, since

Augustana did it in the 1986-87 seasons. Top-ranked Mount Union extended its

current winning streak to 54 games, to tie its own NCAA all-divisions record

winning streak.

Wheaton head coach Mike Swider guided Wheaton to its first 12-win season

in school history. Swider said of today's game, "We got beat by a great

football team, the thing that is hard is that Mt. Union makes you look bad and

we are not a bad football team. It's tough for our kids to get beat like that,

because we are a much better team than that."

He continued, "I told our players that the reason we feel the pain right

now is because we have invested so much; no matter how painful this is they

need to continue to invest."

Swider

said of his team's successful season, "I am very proud of our kids. We

won 12 games this season, only two other teams have twelve wins (so far) this

season, and we are the first Wheaton College football team to win 12 games in

school history.

Wheaton's defense forced Mt. Union to a three and out on the first drive. Then

Wheaton proceeded to put together a 33 yard, 11 play drive capped by a career

long 48-yard field goal by sophomore Andrew Day (PICTURED LEFT). The

drive was highlighted by a 14 yard run by senior Dan Price.

Mt. Union responded when Zach Bruney completed a 17 yard pass to John

Healy for a touchdown. The drive traveled 74 yards on eight plays. The Thunder

kept the score at 6-3 thanks to senior Andrew King's block on the extra

point. King sprinted around the right side of the Mt. Union line to make a diving

block of George Wilders' kick.

Things

would go Mt. Union's way for the next two quarters, though, as they tallied

42 unanswered points on five passing and one rushing touchdown. The Purple Raiders

added a two-point conversion, following a touchdown to begin the second quarter.

Wheaton junior Skip Ast scored on a one yard run with 14:56 to play

in the fourth quarter to make the 42-10. That was a 14-play, 69 yard drive that

took 5:13. Senior Chad Bradley (PICTURED RIGHT) was 4-6 on the drive

for 37 yards, including a 10 yard pass on fourth and seven to junior Brad

Musso. Junior Garrett Grandberg rushed for 20 yards on the drive.

Mt. Union added two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter to stretch the score

to 56-10. Mt. Union (12-0) advances to face the winner of Bridgewater (Va.)

at Lycoming that was postponed until tomorrow because of unplayable field conditions.

With the win they tie their own NCAA record for consecutive victories record

with 54. They have won 108 of their last 109 games.

Price

carried the ball 13 times for 63 yards to lead the Wheaton offense. Granberg

carried the ball 10 times for 31 yards and fullback Drew Thornfeldt

had five carries for 16 yards. Ast carried twice for one yard and the touchdown.

Bradley completed 20 of his 35 passing attempts for 227 yards on the

day. King caught 7 passes for 87 yards with a long of 20. Musso also

caught seven passes for 82 yards. Junior Colin Sinclair gained 53 yards

on five catches. Sophomore cornerback and kick returner Muhammad Weusi

had nine kickoff returns for 173 yards.

Wheaton junior Caleb Walter made seven solo tackles and broke up two

passes in the secondary. Senior Tom McAndrews (Pictured left with Jared

Heckendorn) recorded 10 totals tackles, with five solos. Seniors Ty Gose

and Michael Drach also made seven total tackles and senior Ben Reedy

had six tackles and a QB hurry.

Mt. Union was led in rushing by Jeff Strauch with 128 yards on 23 carries.

As part of a quarterback platoon Jesse Burghardt rushed five times for

53 yards and completed six of his seven attempts for 67 yards. Fellow quarterback

Zac Bruney completed 11 of 18 for 185 yards. Randall Knapp caught

six passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns. Drew Hanley caught two passes

for touchdowns, and Brian Miller caught five passes, one for a touchdown.