ELMHURST, Ill. – Despite a strong fourth-quarter push, the Elmhurst University football team came up short on Homecoming Saturday, falling 31-7 to Carthage at Langhorst Field. The Bluejays put together a balanced offensive effort with 258 total yards, including 133 on the ground, but could not overcome the Firebirds' efficient start.
Carthage struck early, capitalizing on its opening drives to take a 10-0 lead in the first quarter. A short field goal and a long, sustained drive kept the Firebirds in control through halftime, where Elmhurst trailed 17-0. The Bluejays' defense forced multiple punts across the first half and held Carthage to 6.4 yards per play, led by strong efforts from senior Etor Agbenya and sophomore Joe McCarthy, who combined for 10 total tackles and a sack and a half.
Elmhurst's offense found its spark late, putting together an impressive scoring drive in the fourth quarter. Senior quarterback John Odom guided the Bluejays 75 yards downfield with a mix of runs and short passes, setting up the team's lone touchdown of the day — a rushing score that capped an 11-play drive inside the red zone. Odom finished the game with 125 yards through the air, completing seven passes including a 43-yard strike to sophomore Preston Simard that set up Elmhurst's scoring opportunity.
On the ground, Elmhurst totaled 133 yards on 28 carries, paced by Odom's 29 rushing yards and a team-long 21-yard burst earlier in the contest. Sophomore wideout A.D. Russell hauled in two passes for 20 yards, while senior Seth Desmore and Simard each added long receptions of 29 and 33 yards, respectively.
Defensively, Elmhurst tallied 73 total tackles and two sacks on the afternoon. Agbenya led the way with 3.0 tackles, including 1.5 for loss and a shared sack. McCarthy contributed seven tackles, while freshman linebacker Mason Allen and senior lineman Jacob Etnyre added multiple stops each. The Bluejays' front line produced steady pressure, holding Carthage quarterback Easton Heafner to 120 passing yards and limiting the Firebirds to just two passing completions longer than 30 yards.
Carthage finished with 358 yards of offense — 202 on the ground and 156 through the air — and converted 8-of-12 combined third- and fourth-down opportunities. Elmhurst went 2-of-10 on conversions but maintained possession for nearly 24 minutes and capitalized on its lone red-zone appearance.
With the loss, Elmhurst drops to 1-3 overall and 0-3 in the CCIW, while Carthage improves to 2-2 and 1-2 in league play. The Bluejays will look to bounce back next weekend as they travel for a conference matchup before returning home later in October.
