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Bluejay Football Team Drops Third Straight
Box Score
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Elmhurst College football team dropped its third straight contest, slipping to 4-3 overall and 1-3 in the CCIW following a 28-14 loss at Illinois Wesleyan University.
Entering the game ranked eighth in the CCIW and averaging less than 300 yards per game, Illinois Wesleyan (5-2, 4-0 CCIW) put up big offensive numbers against the Bluejays' defense. The Titans totaled 444 yards of total offense and became the third straight team to total over 440 yards of total offense against Elmhurst.
Elmhurst's defense was sharp in the opening half, forcing a fumble to kill a Titan drive inside the Red Zone and forcing IWU to punt on three possessions. Both teams battled for field position early in the contest with Elmhurst getting on the scoreboard first after taking over on the Titans' 49-yard line after a punt. Chris Kudyba (Des Plaines/Elk Grove) hit Ryan Freund (Johnsburg/H.S.) on a six-yard touchdown pass with 1:21 to play in the half to give Elmhurst a 7-0 lead.
The Titans offense took the ensuing kickoff and marched 65 yards in 11 plays to even the score on a Martin Ceisel 13-yard touchdown pass from Kraig Ladd.
After the Bluejays kicked off to start the second half, the Titans drove 68 yards in nine plays to take the lead when Ladd hit Ceisel from 16 yards out. A Brien Rooney pass to Mike Kotz gave the Titans the two-point conversion and a 15-7 lead.
Late in the third quarter, Elmhurst pinned the Titans back to their own four-yard line on a punt. The Titans responded by driving 96 yards in 10 plays to tack on another score. John Meacham fumbled the ball at the end of a 15-yard run, but Ceisel fell on the loose ball in the end zone for the Titans touchdown. The two-point conversion failed and the Titans led 21-7.
The ensuing kickoff went out of bounds at the Illinois Wesleyan 41-yard line giving the Bluejays a short field to work with. Elmhurst promptly moved 41 yards in six plays with Kudyba scoring on a 16-yard run to cut the lead to 21-14 after the PAT.
The Titans answered right back, however, driving 82 yards in seven plays, with Meacham scoring on a 10-yard run to give the Titans a 28-14 lead.
The Bluejays seemed to have something going on their next drive, marching down field and setting up a third down from the Titan six-yard line. Charlie Weilke ended the Bluejays' scoring drive when he picked off Kudyba's pass in the end zone. The Titans ate up almost three minutes on their ensuing possession before punting to Elmhurst. The Bluejays were unable to sustain their next drive, turning the ball back over to Illinois Wesleyan on downs. The Titans ran out the final minutes of the clock to earn the 28-14 win.
The Titans rolled up 444 yards of total offense with 220 yards coming on the ground and 224 coming through the passing attack. IWU finished the game with 29 first downs.
Elmhurst finished the game with only 254 yards of total offense. After struggling to run the ball the past two weeks, the Bluejays were determined to establish a ground game, rushing 40 times for 175 yards. Elmhurst attempted a season-low 19 pass attempts and finished with a season-low 79 passing yards.
Elmhurst was led on the ground by David Wilharm's (Elgin/Larkin) 63 yards on 18 carries. Kudyba finished 9-of-19 for 79 yards through the air and also rushed for 46 yards. Matt D'Angelo (McHenry/East) was the Bluejays' top receiver, hauling in four passes for 31 yards.
Marcus Dunlap was a workhorse for the Titans, carrying 35 times for 162 yards. Ladd finished 20-of-30 for 224 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Ceisel caught 12 passes for 162 yards and two TDs for the Titans.
Elmhurst will look to snap its three-game skid next Saturday (October 27), when the Bluejays host Wheaton College at 1:00 pm.
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