Game Leaders
Team Stats
Passing Yards
Rushing Yards
Turnovers
Time of Poss.
Amid a season already featuring a series of high-scoring efforts, the North Central College football team took things to a new level Saturday, establishing a season-high scoring total in a 77-7 victory over Elmhurst University at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium.
The No. 1-ranked Cardinals (6-0, 5-0 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin) achieved the seventh-highest point total and the eighth-highest margin of victory in the program's history while limiting Elmhurst to 129 total yards of offense, the sixth-lowest ever by a North Central opponent.
Six of the Cardinals' 11 touchdown drives Saturday covered less than 50 yards, the shortest of which was the first. After a mishandled Elmhurst punt snap, North Central took possession just eight yards from the goal line. Quarterback Luke Lehnen froze the Bluejays' defense with a play fake and treated himself to a leisurely stroll into the end zone on the next play.
Lehnen followed with a 31-yard touchdown pass to Andrew Kamienski before directing the night's longest scoring drive, a six-play, 92-yard jaunt which opened with a 20-yard run by Terrence Hill and culminated in Lehnen's 37-yard TD toss to Khori Blair.
Kamienski's North Central-record career reception total now stands at 302, making him the eighth player in NCAA Division III history with at least 300 catches.
Hill ran for touchdowns from 15 and three yards away in the second quarter, then closed the half by hauling in a 10-yard scoring pass from Lehnen with 23 seconds on the clock. Lehnen's final pass attempt early in the third period went for his fourth touchdown, sending a 35-yard strike into the waiting hands of Jacob Paradee.
A 17-yard punt return by John Michael Scumaci gave the Cardinals the ball at the Elmhurst 13 with 4:12 left in the third period. North Central was in the end zone again just two plays later, as backup quarterback Jake Johnson ran for an eight-yard score. Another two-play scoring drive came just before the quarter ended, as Justin Lynch broke free for a 54-yard TD run. The fourth-quarter scoring consisted of a 37-yard touchdown scamper by Darius Byrd and a 63-yard option keeper by Johnson, which currently stands as the Cardinals' longest running play of the season.
North Central gained 582 total yards (310 rushing, 272 passing). Lehnen completed 16 of 26 passes, hitting DeAngelo Hardy four times for 63 yards and Blair three times for 68. Hill was the Cardinals' top rusher with 77 yards on 12 attempts. Sam Taviani made a team-high five tackles, while De'Angelo Roberson recorded an interception and Kyle Zabinski broke up four passes.
The Cardinals host Illinois Wesleyan University (2-4, 2-3 CCIW) Saturday, with kickoff set for 6:00 p.m. Click HERE for live coverage options.