|
Elmhurst Football Team Suffers First Loss
Box Score
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. -The Elmhurst College football team suffered its first loss of the 2007 season, falling to Augustana College 28-7. Elmhurst dropped to 4-1 overall and 1-1 in the CCIW while Augustana improved to 3-2 overall and 1-1 in league play.
Augustana continued its dominance in the series, winning its 28th straight contest over the Bluejays. The Vikings rolled up 483 yards of total offense, and controlled the clock for a whopping 44 minutes.
A missed field goal and a turnover on downs killed two early first quarter drives for the Vikings and kept the game scoreless. Elmhurst has a chance to take the lead in the first quarter, driving to the Vikings' two-yard line and facing a fourth-and-two. Chris Kudyba (Des Plaines/Elk Grove) hit Blake Veldhuis (Mt. Pleasant, Mich./H.S.), in the end zone, but Veldhuis was ruled to be out of bounds by the officials.
Augustana got on the scoreboard late in the first half when the Bluejays muffed a punt return and the Vikings recovered the loose ball at the Elmhurst 32-yard line. Augustana needed only five plays to find the end zone as Joel Campbell capped the drive with a three-yard touchdown run.
The Vikings drove 67 yards on their opening possession of the second half with Jake Parke capping the drive with a three-yard touchdown run.
Elmhurst had a good chance in the third quarter when the Bluejays recovered an Augustana fumble at the Vikings' 35-yard line. After driving to the Augustana 12-yard line, the Vikings' Aaron Setchell killed the drive by picking off Kudyba at the one-yard line.
The Vikings took advantage of the Elmhurst mistake as Jason Doetch ripped off a 79-yard scoring run to give Augustana a 21-0 lead.
The Bluejays got on the scoreboard on their ensuing possession, driving 66 yards in six plays with David Wilharm (Elgin/Larkin) scoring on a one-yard run.
Augustana answered right back, stringing together an eight-play, 80-yard drive with Ryan McGinniss scoring on a one-yard run.
Augustana's offense was deadly in the second half as the Vikings, racked up over 310 yards and held the ball for over 20 minutes of the second half.
The Bluejays' run-game was shut down by Augustana as Elmhurst carried 10 times for -2 yards. Kudyba finished 20-of-43 for 248 yards and a pair of interceptions. Veldhuis was the top receiver, catching five balls for 37 yards. Ryan Gierke (Elburn/Kaneland) hauled in four passes for 79 yards.
Augustana's ground attack was led by Parke's 149 yards on 25 carries. Doetch carried eight times for 99 yards while Andy Klink and McGinniss each rushed for 59 yards.
Kyle Maple (Kaneville/Kaneland) led the Bluejays' defense with a whopping 26 tackles. He set an Elmhurst single-game record by recording 17 solo tackles.
Elmhurst will look to get back on track next Saturday (October 13), when the Bluejays host North Central College at 1:00 p.m. The game is part of the College's annual homecoming weekend.
|
