Game Leaders
Team Stats
Passing Yards
Rushing Yards
Turnovers
Time of Poss.
Eau Claire, Wis. - The seventh-ranked Thunder football team improved to 3-0 on the season with a dominant 56-17 victory at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire on Saturday. Wheaton scored the game's final 35 points after the Blugolds cut the lead to four points in the opening minute of the second half. Wheaton will be idle next week before opening conference play on October 3 at North Park.
The Thunder rolled to 603 yards of total offense with 426 yards coming courtesy of a rushing attack that averaged 9.7 yards per carry. The Blugolds managed 283 yards of total offense with 196 yards coming through the air and 87 yards rushing.
Starting quarterback Johnny Peltz led an efficient passing attack by completing 13 of 17 passes for 131 yards and a touchdown. Andrew Bowers completed two of his four passes for 47 yards passing and a touchdown. Andrew Lindquist led the Thunder receiving corp by catching 10 passes for 115 yards and a touchdown. Matt Norton caught three passes for 56 yards including a 32-yard touchdown reception.
Peltz led an balanced rushing attack with nine carries for 124 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Sola Olateju carried 11 times for 111 yards including two touchdowns. Jordan Shive had five carries for 54 yards and a touchdown.
Adam Dansdill was the leading tackler for the Thunder with seven tackles, one for a loss. Wes Cannonier (PICTURED RIGHT) recorded two interceptions including a 90-yard interception return for a touchdown that capped the scoring with four seconds left.
The Blugolds opened the scoring by holding onto the game's opening possession before settling for a 38-yard field goal by Liam O'Malley to take a 3-0 lead. Both teams failed to score on their next possessions and but Johnny Peltz broke free on the first play of the second quarter for a 64-yard touchdown run to give Wheaton a 7-3 lead. Peltz punched in Wheaton's next possession with a one-yard quarterback sneak to give Wheaton a 14-3 lead.
Using a methodical offense, UW-Eau Claire was able to drive to the Thunder two-yard line before the Thunder defense held stout on the first three attempts to score. On fourth down, UW-Eau Claire quarterback J.T. Denhartog was able to cross the goalline on a quarterback sneak to cut the Thunder lead to 14-10 with 2:13 left in the first half. Denhartog finished the game 12 of 23 passing for 130 yards and an interception.
After the ensuing kickoff went out of bounds, Wheaton drove from their own 35-yard line and finished the drive when Peltz found Andrew Lindquist (PICTURED LEFT) on a 12-yard touchdown pass with 26 seconds remaining in the half to take a 21-10 lead into halftime.
UW-Eau Claire forced a fumble on the opening kickoff of the second half and scored three plays later when Denhartog took a pitch from Toure Wallace to turn a broken play into a touchdown and cut the deficit to 21-17.
Wheaton answered with a seven play, 73-yard drive that finished on a 26-yard touchdown run by Jordan Shive. Sola Olateju capped Wheaton's next two drives with touchdown runs of 21 and 31 yards. Andrew Bowers found Matt Norton on a 32-yard touchdown pass on Wheaton's next drive and Cannonier finished the scoring with his interception return.