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RIVER FOREST, Ill. - The Benedictine University football team won their fourth consecutive game by stopping the defending NACC Champions Concordia University Chicago 48-27 on Saturday.
Playing without the top rusher in the NACC, Benedictine still piled up over 200 yards on the ground and nearly 500 yards of total offense. The Eagles never trailed in the contest.
Artie Monaco received the start at running back for the first time this season and opened the scoring on the first drive of the game. Following a 27-yard pass play, Monaco broke free for a 44-yard run with 12:48 to go in the opening quarter to open the scoring. Monaco struck for four touchdowns on the ground in the contest.
Concordia Chicago tied the game on the ensuing drive, but Benedictine scored on back-to-back drives in the second quarter to take a 20-7 lead. Set up by a Dylan Rose interception, Monaco scored from eight yards out with 8:26 remaining in the first half. Greg Simms reeled in a five yard pass from Cyle Schultz on the following drive to punctuate a seven-play drive with 2:12 left.
The hosts reeled off 10 unanswered points to claw within 20-17 early in the second half, but Benedictine again posted consecutive touchdowns to provide space. Schultz hit Max Seibert for a 14-yard score with 7:38 left in the third and added a big play hookup with Colin Kanehl for a 53-yard score with 6:23 to play in the third.
Monaco netted two fourth quarter scores to ice the game, plunging in from two yards out on the second play of the fourth quarter and scooting in from 10 yards out after an interception by Rodney Nichols with 9:31 to play. Monaco finished with 207 yards in the game on 29 carries.
Schultz completed 14-of-20 attempts for 211 yards and three scores. Simms snared seven passes out of the backfield while Seibert totaled 82 yards on three catches. Rose, reigning NACC Defensive Player of the Week, totaled a game high 15 tackles including three for loss. The linebacker added an interception and two sacks. Kris Rosemann and Trent Altieri picked up nine tackles each while Alex Davis recorded 2.5 sacks.
Benedictine (6-2, 4-1) is back on the road next week for a non-conference contest at Maranatha at 1:00 p.m.