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WAUKESHA, Wis. - The Illinois Wesleyan University football team were overpowered by Carroll University, 70-23, Saturday, Sept. 23, in a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin game at Schneider Stadium in Waukesha, Wis. (Photo by Jimmy Naprstek/Kodiak Creative)
Kodiak Creative
26
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 2-7 , 2-6
83
Winner North Central (IL) NCC 9-0 , 8-0
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
2-7 , 2-6
26
Final
83
North Central (IL) NCC
9-0 , 8-0
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
IWU Ill. Wesleyan 6 0 14 6 26
NCC North Central (IL) 28 27 14 14 83

Game Recap: Football |

Football Overpowered by No. 1 North Central

Kee & Moore record 100-yard receiving days

NAPERVILLE, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University football team could not keep pace with No. 1 ranked North Central College Saturday, Nov. 4. The Titans (2-7, 2-6 CCIW) fell by a score of 83-26 as the Cardinals remained unbeaten on the year at 9-0, 8-0 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin.

IWU's 26 points are the most allowed by NCC at home since the second round of the 2018 NCAA Tournament when the Cardinals fell, 27-24, to Bethel. 

Illinois Wesleyan finished the game with 408 yards of total offense, including a season-high 358 through the air. North Central churned out 712 yards offensively, going for 424 rushing yards and 288 passing yards.

Freshman Dermot Smyth (Chicago, Ill.-Marist) split time with junior Jay Lemenager (Clifton, Ill.-Clifton) at quarterback. Smyth finished 7-of-11 for 210 yards and two touchdown passes. Lemenager went 6-for-11 with a TD, while sophomore Zach Hinds (Riverton, Ill.-Riverton) completed 2-of-2 passes for 14 yards.

Juniors Myles Kee (St. Louis, Mo.-St. Louis Priory) and Tre Moore (Cool Valley, Mo.-Ritenour) were the leaders of IWU's receivers as both finished with 100-yard games. Kee hauled in a team-best four catches for 158 yards and two scores, while Moore finished with three grabs for 103 yards and a score.

Junior Jahari Scott (Lake Bluff, Ill.-Lake Forest) recorded 102 all-purpose yards, with 67 yards in the return game, 25 yards rushing, and a 10-yard reception.

Defensively, junior Sam Schott (West Lafayette, Ind.-West Lafayette) collected a team-best eight tackles. Seniors Arthur Chatt (La Grange, Ill.-Lyons Township) and Joshua Klein (Glen Carbon, Ill.-Edwardsville) tallied six apiece. Klein tied junior Zach McNees (Hillsboro, Mo.-Hillsboro) for the team lead with two tackles for loss and a sack.

After North Central returned the opening kickoff, Illinois Wesleyan came right back with a score on its first possession. Facing third down, Lemenager connected with Moore for a 76-yard touchdown to pull the Titans within one, 7-6.

The Cardinals took advantage of two three-and-outs by the Titans to charge ahead, 21-6, with seven minutes left in the first quarter.

NCC scored on each of its seven first-half possessions to take a 55-6 lead into halftime.

Flushed out of the pocket, Smyth extended the play with his legs just long enough for Kee to break free from the NCC defense. Smyth delivered a completion just over the top of the defense, where Kee motored down the IWU sideline for a 66-yard touchdown. A two-point conversion from Smyth to fifth-year Kevin Graham (St. John's, Ind.-Shepard) cut North Central's lead to 62-14 with 12:26 left in the third. 

The Titans scored twice more in the second half, as Kee hauled in touchdown passes from Smyth of 66 and 54 yards.

Illinois Wesleyan wraps up the 2023 campaign at home next Saturday, Nov. 11, against Elmhurst University. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.





 
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