Box Score Illinois Wesleyan 24, Wheaton 19 - Box Score

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The No. 22-ranked Illinois Wesleyan football team improved to 4-0 as it held on for a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin opening 24-19 win over No. 6-ranked Wheaton at Tucci Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 1.

The Titans scored first after Scott Wenzel ran back a fumble recovery (see photo below) to the Wheaton 5 yard line. Sean Conley ran in for the score with 13:16 to play in the first quarter and freshman Tony Angelos added the extra point kick to give IWU a 7-0 advantage.

Wheaton's Scott Roche connected on a 35-yard field goal with 9:09 to play in the first to leave IWU with a 7-3 lead.

Angelos made a 23-yard field goal to stake the Titans to a 10-3 lead with 14:55 before halftime and Conley scored again on a run from 1 yard out to cap an 11-play, 76-yard drive with 6:54 left in the half to give IWU a 17-3 edge.

The Thunder, who fell to 3-1 and 0-1 in the CCIW, roared back and scored a touchdown 23 seconds later after a 90-yard total kickoff return. Teddy Watkins returned the first nine yards before reversing to Jordan Langs, who carried it 81 yards to the IWU 4 yard line. From there, Peter Jarrett ran in for a score but Roche's extra point kick hit the upright and IWU held a 17-9 halftime lead.

Illinois Wesleyan increased their lead to 24-9 with 5:53 to play in the third quarter when junior Tate Musselman caught a 19-yard pass from sophomore Rob Gallik and Angelos added the kick.

The Thunder did the rest of the scoring as, with 4:01 left in the third, Roche kit a 33-yard field goal to finish a six-play, 16 yard drive to vring Wheaton back to within 12 at 24-12.

The last score of the game came with 3:57 left in the game when quarterback Garrett Meador found Mark Hiben for a 20 yard pass play and Roche added the extra point kick.

Gallik was 24 of 36 for 249 yards with a touchdown two fourth quarter interceptions as the Titans amassed 309 yards of total offense compared to 343 for the Thunder. The Titans' leading rusher was Conley, who gained 52 yards on nine carries.

Meador was 26 of 47 for 282 yards and threw two interceptions, one to Will Jenkins and the other to senior P.J. Cummings.

Peter Jarrett was Wheaton's top rusher with 51 yards on 12 carries.

Senior linebacker Ben Houk led IWU with 11 total tackles, including seven solo, while Jenkins, senior linebacker Ryan Gresko, senior safety Erich Bushong and Scott Wenzel each added seven tackles.

Oskar Cadena had seven tackles and Brian McMullen had six stops for the Thunder.

The Titans have a road game next Saturday at 1 p.m. against North Park (3-1, 0-1 CCIW), who was a 59-6 loser to Elmhurst on Saturday.