Elmhurst University Athletics

ELMHURST, Ill. – The Elmhurst football team closed out the 2017 season with a 49-7 loss to North Central College.
 
North Central (9-1, 7-1 CCIW) scored the game's first 49 points, including 28 in the opening quarter while securing a share of the CCIW Championship in the process. 
 
Elmhurst (2-8, 2-6 CCIW) struggled to hold onto the football, turning the ball over four times while also having two punts blocked by the Cardinals.
 
North Central took the opening possession and marched 65 yards, taking a 7-0 lead on a 10-yard Austin Breunig touchdown run. The Cardinals blocked an Elmhurst punt and recovered at the Bluejays' 34-yard line. Two plays, later Breunig scored on a 20-yard run to give North Central a 14-0 lead.
 
A fumble on the ensuing kickoff gave the Cardinals the ball back at the Bluejays' 34-yard line. Broc Rutter capped the scoring drive with a nine-yard touchdown pass to Alex Rose to give the Cardinals a 21-0 lead just 6:30 into the contest.  A four-yard touchdown run from Breunig with 28 seconds left in the quarter extended the Cardinals' lead to 28-0. The Cardinals amassed over 200 yards of offense in the firsts quarter.
 
Bruenig added a one-yard score touchdown run in the second to put North Central in front 35-0 at halftime. A Tom Sora 15-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown in the third quarter and Breunig added his fifth rushing touchdown of the game early in the third to put North Central in front 49-0.
 
Elmhurst ended the shutout early in the fourth quarter when Jawan Gaines hauled in catch near the sideline and then raced to the end zone, for a 64-yard touchdown.
 
Elmhurst outgained North Central 343-300 in the contest, limiting the Cardinals to just 92 yards over the final three quarters.
 
Orlando Hernandez led Elmhurst through the air, complete 21-of-37 passes for a touchdown. Two Bluejays topped 100 receiving yards. Hasahn Austin caught seven passes for 102 yards while Gaines grabbed four receptions for 143 yards a score.
 
Breunig carried 19 times for 129 yards and five touchdowns to lead North Central. Rutter completed 11-of-12 passes for 151 yards and a score.
 
Romain Richards paced Elmhurst's defense with eight tackles, including three tackles for loss and one sack. Joe Nixon added eight tackles for the Bluejays.