Thunder football team rallies to win 23-16 in season opener at Gustavus Adolphus

St. Peter, Minn. (9/10) The #21-ranked Thunder football team opened its 2005 season with a 23-16 victory (Boxscore) at Gustavus Adolphus College on Saturday afternoon. Wheaton scored 17 unanswered points to rally from a 10-point deficit midway through the third quarter and emerge with the win. Wheaton (1-0) will host Greenville College at McCully Field next Saturday afternoon, while Gustavus Adolphus (0-2) will travel to Hamline next week.

The Thunder defense and special teams played a key role in Saturday's victory. Wheaton held the Gusties to just 210 yards of total offense, including only 33 rushing yards, with 177 passing yards. Wheaton recorded 279 yards of offense with 197 rushing yards and 82 passing yards. Wheaton special teams contributed three field goals and recorded an average of 18.8 yards per punt/kickoff return in addition to strong punt/kick coverage on the day day.

Senior captain Luke Bazacas (LEFT) carried the ball 28 times for 127 yards with one touchdown run. Junior quarterback Jeremy Chupp completed 10 of his 23 passing attempts for 82 yards, with one touchdown and he also ran for 39 yards on seven carries. Senior Nate Mealy caught three passes for 15 yards and Joe Chupp caught two passes for 22 yards, including a touchdown reception. Senior kicker Andrew Day converted all three of his field goal attempts on the afternoon, hitting a 20-yard kick, a 26-yarder and a 27-yard boot. Today's effort gives Day 25 career field goals, just one shy of tying Wheaton's school record of 26, held by Bob Unruh (1975-78).

The Thunder linebacking corps played well today led by senior Jeff Grandy (RIGHT) along with Jonathan Toal and Mike McKinney, as they each recorded nine total tackles. Grandy added 2-1/2 tackles for lost yardage (-13 yards), including a quarterback sack. McKinney was credited with 1-1/2 quarterback sacks (-14 yards). Senior free safety Todd Travis made two critical interceptions and added five total tackles. Junior Tim March added six total tackles and senior defensive end Jason Isaacson made five total tackles, including 1-1/2 tackles for lost yardage (-7 yards). Senior defensive lineman Trey Andrew (BELOW, LEFT) recorded 3-1/2 tackles for lost yardage (-14 yards), including two quarterback sacks (-10 yards).

Quarterback Jordan Stolp led the Gusties' offense with 169 passing yards, with 17 completions on 29 attempts and a touchdown pass. Tom Johnson caught four passes for 35 yards, with a touchdown. Mitch Anderson carried the ball 15 times for 44 yards, with one touchdown run. Jared Sieling led the Gustavus defense with 13 total tackles and Adam Miron contributed nine tackles. Wade Wietgrefe, Kevin Hegland, Brian Evans and Taylor Beahrs each recorded an interception for the hosts.

Gustavus capitalized on a Thunder turnover midway through the first quarter to drive down the field 48 yards in three plays, capped by a 35-yard touchdown run from Anderson to give the hosts a 7-0 lead with 4:37 left in the first quarter. Thunder punt returner Geoff Burns received a punt at the Gusties' 43-yard line and returned it 14 yards to the 29-yard line to help setup Day's first field goal, a 26-yard kick that cut the Gustavus lead to 7-3 with 7:02 left in the first half. Special teams again played a key role in Wheaton 's next scoring drive as March received a Gustavus punt at the Gusties' 46-yard line and made a 40-yard return to the six-yard line. Four plays later Day booted a 27-yard field goal to make it a 7-6 Gustavus lead with 4:10 left in the first half. The hosts again utilized a Thunder turnover to score when Stolp threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Johnson with 20-seconds left in the first half. Gustavus Adolphus would miss the extra point as the Gusties took a 13-6 lead into the locker room at halftime.

Gustavus kicked a 32-yard field goal on its first offensive drive of the second half to increase its lead to 16-6 with 10:14 remaining in the third quarter. Bazacas played a key role in Wheaton 's next drive, as he ran for 55 of the guest's 77-yards that was capped off by a 20-yard field goal by Day (LEFT) to cut the Gusties lead to 16-9.

With 13:29 remaining in the game Travis picked of Stolp's pass and eight plays later the Thunder scored when Jeremy Chupp threw a nine-yard touchdown pass to his twin brother Joe. Wheaton converted the extra point to tie the game 16-16 with 10:17 left in the contest. The Thunder defense shut the Gusties' offense down on the home team's next two drives and Bazacas scored the go-ahead touchdown on a nine-yard run with 4:38 remaining in the game to give Wheaton the 23-16 lead that would become the final score.