DUBUQUE, Iowa - The Elmhurst football team scored 19 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to rally past Loras College for a 28-27 season-opening victory. 

Elmhurst (1-0) scored the game's opening touchdown but the Bluejays found themselves trailing on the scoreboard for much of the contest, including an 18-point deficit entering the fourth quarter.  The Bluejays turned in one of the best fourth quarter performances in Elmhurst history as the team posted 19 points and the Elmhurst defense delivered big play after big play, forcing three turnovers in the game's final 15 minutes. 

The Bluejays quickly sliced into the lead on the opening play of the fourth quarter. Elmhurst capped a massive 14-play, 96-yard drive with a five-yard touchdown pass from Orlando Hernandez to Connor Brewer. The drive wiped out almost eight minutes of clock and over half of the third quarter.

After a Loras punt, Hernandez was intercepted on the Bluejays' first play from scrimmage with Loras taking over at the Elmhurst 31 yard line. Elmhurst's defense delivered a quick strike as Sean Wetherell picked off Loras QB Nolan Baumhover and returned the interception 80 yards for a touchdown. The score brought Elmhurst to within six points at 27-21 after the extra point attempt failed.

Loras went to work on offense following the score and drove to the Elmhurst 46-yard line, but Wetherell recovered a Duhawks fumble to give the Bluejays the ball back with 9:45 left to play. Elmhurst's offense took advantage of the turnover as the Bluejays ate away at the clock with an 11-play, 48-yard drive that spanned 6:43. Facing a third-and-goal from the four-yard line, Hernandez hit Brewer from four yards out to tie the score at 27-27 with just three minutes remaining. The extra-point put Elmhurst in front 28-27 and gave the Bluejays their first lead of the game since the first quarter.

Loras drove to their 43-yard line with just over two minutes remaining, but Tyler Hosman sealed the win for the Bluejays by intercepting Bob Kelly.

Elmhurst's defense finished the contest with five turnovers, including the three in the fourth quarter. The Bluejays also scored a pair of defensive touchdowns on interception returns. In addition to Wetherell's fourth quarter TD, the Bluejays' first score of the game came on the second play from scrimmage when Tristan Bolas jumped in front of a Kelly screen pass and took it 29 yards for a touchdown.

After the Bluejays' defensive score, the Duhawks went front on an 11-play, 72-yard drive capped by a Zach Minch three-yard run. A Blake Bailey 25-yard field goal put Elmhurst back in front at 9-7 late in the first quarter, but Loras scored three straight touchdowns to set up the Bluejays' fourth quarter comeback.

Brad Boelkow hauled in an 18-yard touchdown pass from Kelly early in the second and Mikey Castro caught a 28-yard scoring pass from Baumhover midway through the second to give the Duhawks a 20-9 lead at the half. Loras made it 27-9 early in the fourth when Kelly hit Danny Willis from six yards out.

Elmhurst finished the contest with 285 yards of offense, rushing for 138 yards and throwing for 155. The Duhawks compiled 407 yards, with 101 coming on the ground and 306 through the air.

Hernandez and Daniel Bourgault led Elmhurst's ground game. Hernandez rushed for 68 yards on 11 carries while Bourgault ran 19 times for 62 yards. Hernandez finished 20-of-31 through the air with a pair of touchdowns. Brewer was the Bluejays' top receiver, hauling in seven passes for 40 yards and two fourth quarter touchdowns.
 
Elmhurst's defense kept Loras' ground attack in check, limiting Minch to just 72 yards on 22 carries, a 3.3 yards per carry average. Kelly and Baumhover combined to finish 28-of-43 through the air for 306 yards with three touchdowns, but the Duhawks QB duo was picked off a total of four times by the Bluejays.
 
Elmhurst won the time of possession battle, finishing the game with a nearly 12-minute advantage over the Duhawks, keeping Loras' high-powered offense on the sidelines.  After having an advantage of just 1:30 at halftime, the Bluejays controlled the clock in the second half, owning a 20:07-9:53 edge in the second half.

Wetherell led Elmhurst's defense with 15 tackles, including eight solo, to go with his interception and fumble recovery. Andy Warsen added 14 tackles and a sack while Perode Charles also reached double-digit tackles with 10. Wetherell, Hosman, Schwartz and Bolas all had interceptions for the Bluejays.
 
Elmhurst travels to Olivet College next Saturday, September 10.