ELMHURST, Ill. – The Elmhurst football team suffered its first College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin loss of the season, falling to 11th-ranked Wheaton College 56-20.
 
Elmhurst (5-3 overall, 4-1 CCIW) could not slow down Wheaton's high-powered offense as the Thunder rolled up 548 yards off offense, including 259 on the ground.
 
Wheaton QB Johnny Peltz completed his first 13 pass attempts and finished the contest accounting for over 400 yards and all eight of Wheaton's touchdowns.
 
Things looked promising for the Bluejays out of the gate. On just the second offensive play of the game, Joe Camiliere hit Kaylon Miller on a short pass over the middle. Miller accelerated between a pair of defenders and turned the short pass into a 53-yard touchdown reception to give Elmhurst a quick 7-0 lead.
 

The Bluejays' lead didn't last long as Wheaton took the ensuing kickoff and drove 75 yards in six plays with Peltz scoring the game-tying touchdown on a 53-yard run.

After an Elmhurst punt deep in its own territory, Wheaton took advantage of the short field, driving 32 yards and taking a 14-7 lead on a 15-yard pass from Peltz to Andrew Lindquist.
 
Wheaton was driving after an Elmhurst punt when Valdez Honorable jarred the ball out of Peltz's hand and John Eliades recovered the loose ball for the Bluejays at the Wheaton 46-yard line. Elmhurst capitalized on the turnover, driving 46 yards on eight plays. Josh Williams capped the drive with an 11-yard touchdown run. The extra point attempt was missed keeping Wheaton in front 14-13.
 
Wheaton lengthened its lead on the ensuing possession. Peltz led a 65-yard scoring drive capped by an 11-yard touchdown pass to Luke Thorson.
 

Elmhurst was driving across midfield on its next possession when Wheaton's defense forced a turnover. Alex Mendez stripped Camiliere of the football and recovered the fumble at the Wheaton 21-yard line. Peltz led the Thunder's offense on a 79-yard scoring drive, hitting Thorson on 27-yard touchdown pass on a fade to the corner of the end zone.
 
Wheaton extended its lead at the start of the third quarter as Peltz finished off a 65-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown plunge.  After an Elmhurst punt out of its own end zone, the Thunder needed just one play to take a 42-13 lead as Peltz hit Thorson on a 23-yard touchdown over the middle.

The Bluejays sliced the lead down to 42-20 after Williams finished off an 80-yard scoring drive with a 23-yard run. Wheaton answered back with a 75-yard scoring drive with Peltz rushing for his third touchdown run of the game, a one-yard plunge up the middle.
 
Peltz rushed for his fourth and final score of the day late in the fourth quarter, rushing for an 11-yard score, to make the final score 56-20 in favor of the Thunder.

Wheaton totaled 548 yards of offense with 259 on the ground and 289 through the air. The Thunder converted 8-of-11 third down attempts. Elmhurst finished the contest with 351 total yards, rushing for 132 and passing for 219.
Peltz had a career day, rushing for 119 yards and four touchdowns while also passing for 289 yards and four scores on 18-of-22 attempts.  Danny Puknaitis added 105 rushing yards on 14 carries. Thorson hauled in eight passes for 120 yards and three scores while Keegan Kemp also broke the 100-yard barrier, catching six passes for 132.
 
Camiliere accounted for just shy of 300 yards, leading the Bluejays' ground attack with 72 yards on 17 carries and completing 16-of-27 passes for 219 yards and a score. Williams rushed 14 times for 49 yards and two touchdowns. Miller was the Bluejays' top receiver, catching six passes for 104 yards and a touchdown.
 
Elmhurst travels to Millikin University next Saturday, November 8, 2014.