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Bluejay Football Team Topples Carthage to Remain Unbeaten
Box Score
ELMHURST, Ill. - The Elmhurst College football remained unbeaten, running its record to 4-0, by knocking off Carthage College 30-15 in its CCIW opener.
The Elmhurst defense shined in the second half, limiting Carthage (3-1, 0-1 CCIW) to only 65 yards of total offense and sacking Red Men quarterbacks six times. The Bluejays also came away with three turnovers in the second half, scored a defensive touchdown and finished the game with six takeaways and eight sacks.
Elmhurst, who struggled to find its offensive rhythm for most of the game, took advantage of the Carthage mistakes, scoring 24 of its 30 points off of Red Men turnovers. The Bluejays were able to overcome a season-high five turnovers in a game that was marred by 11 turnovers combined by the two teams.
Elmhurst took advantage of an opening mistake by Carthage to take the lead just 12 seconds into the game. On the opening kickoff Carthage's Aaron Miller coughed up the football after a hit by Elmhurst's Dan Sabock (Sycamore/H.S.). The Bluejays recovered the loose ball at the Carthage 25-yard line. On Elmhurst's first play from scrimmage, Chris Kudyba (Des Plaines/Elk Grove) hit Ryan Gierke (Elburn/Kaneland) for a 25-yard touchdown to put Elmhurst up 7-0.
Carthage had a chance early in the first quarter to even the score, but facing fourth-and-one from the Bluejays 23-yard line, Brennan O'Boyle pass was slightly off target to a wide-open Nick Merchut. After an Elmhurst punt, the Red Men regained the ball at their own 41-yard line. Red Men QB Dan DeBoeuf was picked off by John Scardullo (Monee/Peotone) who returned the ball to the Carthage 33-yard line.
The Bluejays took advantage of the Red Men's mistake taking a 14-0 lead after Kudyba hit Blake Veldhuis (Mt. Pleasant, Mich./H.S.) on an 18-yard touchdown pass.
The Red Men took advantage of a Kudyba interception to set up their first score. Carthage drove to the Elmhurst 21-yard line before settling for a Matt Denny 38-yard field goal to make the score 14-6 in favor of the Bluejays.
After an Elmhurst punt, the Red Men strung together a 12-play 49-yard drive that led to a 41-yard field goal from Denny.
The Bluejays struggled in the opening quarter of the second half as a snap over Kudyba's head led the Red Men recovering the fumble at the Elmhurst 10-yard line. The Bluejays' defense kept Carthage out of the end zone and forced the Red Men to settle for a 24-yard field goal to cut Elmhurst's lead down to five at 14-9.
After an Elmhurst punt, the Red Men grabbed their first lead of the game when quarterback Brennan O'Boyle scored on a one-yard keeper. The two-point conversion failed and Carthage led 15-14.
Mistakes started to plague both teams for the rest of the third quarter. Carthage's Matt Popp fumbled a punt that the Bluejays recovered at the Carthage 10-yard line. The Bluejays were unable to score, however, as Kudyba was picked off by Carthage's Nate Hughes at the goal line. After the Red Men punted from their own end zone, Kudyba was intercepted on a deep pass at the Carthage four-yard line. The Bluejay defense came up big again stripping DeBoeuf and recovering the fumble at the Carthage 29-yard line.
The Bluejays took advantage of the turnover, reclaiming the lead on a seven-yard touchdown run by David Wilharm (Elgin/Larkin). The two-point conversion was no good, leaving the Bluejays with a 20-15 lead.
After a Red Men punt, the Bluejays strung together the game's longest drive, a 16-play 66-yard drive resulting in a Tyler Lomnicki (Elmhurst/York) 23-yard field goal.
On Carthage's next possession, Elmhurst sealed the win when Patrick Ambriz (Wausau, Wis./Wausau East) intercepted a pass by O'Boyle and ran it back 17 yards for a touchdown.
For the game, Elmhurst outgained Carthage 235-222. The Bluejays passed for 175 yards and rushed for 60 while Carthage threw for 160 yards and ran for 62.
Wilharm led the Bluejays' ground attack, carrying 20 times for 59 yards and a score. Kudyba finished 17-of-43 for 175 yards. He threw two touchdowns and was intercepted four times. Mitch Holmer (Champaign/Central) was the Bluejays' leading receiver, hauling in five passes for 49 yards.
Carthage was led by O'Boyle's 20 carries and 47 rushing yards. O'Boyle and DeBoeuf combined to finish 16-of-37 for 160 yards. Jeff Koeneman was Carthage's favorite target, catching eight passes for 88 yards.
Eric Puzon (Wheaton/Wheaton-Warrenville South) led the Bluejays' defense with 11 tackles, including three tackles for loss. Scardullo and Demetrios Vrettos (Cicero/Morton) each finished with 10 tackles. Vrettos became the second Bluejay in as many weeks to tie the school's single-game sack record with three.
Carthage's defense was led by Franko Shenault's eight tackles. Hughes finished with seven for the Red Men.
Elmhurst plays at Augustana College on Saturday, October 6, at 1:00 p.m.
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