Box Score
ELMHURST, Ill. - The Elmhurst College football team stunned 15th-ranked Wheaton College 37-23, defeating the Thunder for the first time since the 1999 season. The 37 points scored by Elmhurst was the most scored by the Bluejays against Wheaton since 1982 season (52).
Elmhurst moved to 6-2 overall and 3-2 in the CCIW while the loss dropped Wheaton to an identical 6-2 overall and 3-2 CCIW mark.
Elmhurst's defense forced six turnovers and kept relentless pressure on Wheaton quarterback Sean Norris. The Bluejays sacked Norris and four times and recorded nine quarterback hurries. The Bluejays took advantage of the Thunder turnovers, scoring 24 points off of the six turnovers, including a pair of touchdowns in the second half to blow the game open.
Leading 16-9 at halftime, the Bluejays strung together scoring drives of 69, 73, and 80 yards in the second half. After Jon Janus picked killed a Wheaton drive with an interception at the Bluejays' 15-yard line, the Elmhurst offense went to work. The Bluejays marched down field and capped the drive when Chris Kudyba hit Matt D'Angelo for a 39-yard touchdown strike. The score gave Elmhurst a 23-9 lead.
Elmhurst's defense came up big on Wheaton's next possession. Eric Puzon picked off Norris at the Bluejays' 27-yard line. The offense went to work, stringing together a 9-play, 73-yard drive capped by Kudyba hitting Sean Seroka on a one-yard touchdown pass. The touchdown gave Elmhurst a 30-9 lead.
Wheaton answered right back with an 80-yard scoring drive capped by an 11-yard TD pass from Norris to Alex Pokorny, cutting the Bluejays' lead down to 14.
The Bluejays sealed the game with 4:15 left to play as Kudyba capped a 10-play 80-yard drive with a 47-yard touchdown strike to D'Angelo to give Elmhurst a 37-16 lead. Wheaton appeared to have the drive stalled after just three plays as the Bluejays faced a fourth-and-eight from their own 22-yard line, but Bluejay kicker Tyler Lomnicki scrambled 16 yards on a fake punt to give Elmhurst a first down and keep the drive alive.
The Thunder added one last score on a Rocky Gingg two-yard touchdown run to make the final score 37-23.
In the first half, it was the Thunder that started the scoring first, taking advantage of an Elmhurst interception. Tyler Langs picked off Kudyba and returned it to the Bluejays' 5-yard line. Elmhurst's defense turned the Thunder away on three straight plays, and on fourth-and-goal from the one, the Thunder were flagged for an illegal shift and settled for a 23-yard field goal from Tim Ellingsen.
Elmhurst got on the scoreboard late in the first quarter. Bluejay safety Mike LaFleur stripped the ball from a Wheaton receiver and Elmhurst recovered the fumble at the Wheaton 20-yard line. The Bluejays evened the game at 3-all when Lomnicki booted a 28-yard field goal.
After a Wheaton punt, the Bluejays went on top on the scoreboard when Kudyba capped a 77-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run. The extra point was no good and Elmhurst led 9-3.
On Wheaton's next possession, the Bluejay defense got into the scoring when Joe Stumpfoll picked off a batted ball at the line of scrimmage and returned it 45 yards for a touchdown to give Elmhurst a 16-3 lead.
The Thunder cut the Bluejays' lead in half late in the second quarter when Norris tossed a 3-yard touchdown pass to Danny Hindman. Wheaton's extra points was missed and the Bluejays led 16-9 at the break.
Elmhurst finished the game with 391 yards of total offense while Wheaton totaled 310. Elmhurst rushed for 154 yards while holding the Thunder to only 51 yards on the ground.
Kudyba finished the game 14-of-27 for 237 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. Nick Herrera led Elmhurst on the ground, rushing 20 times for 65 yards. D'Angelo had another fantastic day as he hauled in six passes for 169 yards and two touchdowns.
Norris finished 25-of-47 for 259 yards. He tossed two touchdowns and was intercepted three times. The Bluejays' limited Gingg to only 49 yards on 16 carries. Pokorny was the top target for the Thunder, catching 10 passes for 111 yards and a touchdown.
Randy Wright led the Bluejays' defense with 11 tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss and a pair of quarterback sacks. He also recorded four quarterback hurries in the win. Puzon totaled 10 tackles, including a sack. He also broke up two passes, recovered a fumble, and intercepted a pass.
Steve Pagh and Grant Roszkowiak each led the Thunder 10 tackles apiece.
Elmhurst will try to win its seventh game of the season for the first time since the 1985 season, when the team travels to Millikin University on Saturday, November 8.
