Box Score Wheaton 29, Illinois Wesleyan 19 - Box Score

WHEATON, Ill. - In a battle of two ranked football teams, Illinois Wesleyan dug itself into a 19-0 deficit by halftime and lost 29-19 at Wheaton on Saturday, Oct. 2.

The Titans, who were No. 13 in the week's AFCA Division III poll, are 3-1 overall and 0-1 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin while No. 17-ranked Wheaton is 4-0, 1-0 CCIW. 

Wheaton amassed 437 yards of offense and ran 88 plays compared to 317 yards on 51 plays for IWU. The Thunder had 24 first downs to 13 for the Titans and had the ball nearly 38 minutes to 22. 

The Thunder scored with 6:25 to play in the first quarter on a 5-yard pass from Jordan Roberts to Justin Zeller, then scored its second touchdown on a 1-yard run by Rocky Gingg with 14:32 to play before halftime. Both times, extra point kicks by Scott Roche failed.

Wheaton made it 19-0 when Freddy Ellis caught a 6-yard pass from quarterback Garrett Meador and Roche made the kick with 7:45 to play in the second.

Illinois Wesleyan got on the board with 7:11 to go in the third when Joey Driver caught a 24-yard pass from senior quarterback Brien Rooney and freshman Tim Hollowed made the kick to make it 19-7.

In its Homecoming game, Wheaton extended its lead to 26-7 when, with 3:08 to go in the third, Austin Zoerhof caught a 25 yard pass from Roberts and Roche added the kick. Roche then kicked a 29 yard field goal with 12:43 to play in the game to make the score 29-7.

The Titans tacked on two fourth quarter scores, first with 12:14 to play when senior Eli Williams ran in from 45 yards out, capping a quick two-play, 69 yard drive.

Driver had his second TD catch of the game, this one a 58 yarder from Rooney with 6:27 to play in the game, culminating another speedy (1:20) four-play, 80-yard scoring drive.

Rooney was 11 of 25 passing for 157 yards and two touchdowns but was intercepted four times. Rooney gained 43 yards on the ground. 

Williams had 106 total yards on eight carries with 45 coming on the TD run while Bo Lanter had 11 yards on five carries. 

Defensively, linebacker Ryan Gresko led IWU with 12 tackles and #P.J. Cummings had 10 total tackles. Michael Panno# had six tackles and the team's only interception.

The Titans return home for a 2 p.m. game next Saturday, Oct. 9, against North Park in the annual Homecoming game at IWU.