WAUKESHA, Wis. — The Elmhurst University football team displayed toughness, offensive balance, and growth in a hard-fought 47–7 setback at Carroll University on Saturday afternoon. Despite the final margin, the Bluejays controlled possession, sustained multiple long drives, and continued to see key contributions from a young core.
Elmhurst (1–7, 0–6 CCIW) opened the first quarter with purpose, responding to an early Carroll touchdown by marching 72 yards in 15 plays for its lone score of the afternoon. Freshman running back
Jeffery Elms capped the drive with a four-yard touchdown run — his third of the season — slicing the deficit to 14–7 with 1:14 left in the opening quarter. Elms finished with 15 carries for 89 yards (93 gained, 4 lost), continuing his breakout rookie campaign.
Quarterback
John Odom steered the offense efficiently, completing 14 of 27 passes for 118 yards while adding 42 yards rushing on 17 carries. The Bluejays totaled 268 yards of offense on 72 plays and dominated the clock with 36:18 of possession, compared to Carroll's 23:42. Elmhurst's ball-control strategy kept the Pioneer defense on the field for long stretches and produced a 17–12 edge in first downs.
Through the air,
A.D. Russell led the receiving corps with four catches for 43 yards, while
Seth Desmore added three grabs for 28 yards and a 5-yard run.
Defensively, the Bluejays stayed aggressive against Carroll's powerful run game. Junior linebacker
Jace Zeffiro again set the tone with eight tackles (six solo) and a tackle-for-loss.
Malakai Correa notched six stops with two tackles for loss, while freshman
Mason Allen recorded four tackles and 1.5 TFL, including a sack.
Justin Harris added a key backfield stop, and the Elmhurst secondary limited Carroll to just five completions on 12 passes.
Special teams were steady, with
Giovanni Orestano punting four times for 132 yards (33.0 avg).
Up Next
Elmhurst returns home next Saturday to host Wheaton College in another CCIW matchup. Kickoff is scheduled for 12 p.m. at Langhorst Field.
