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Dermot Smyth running vs. Elmhurst
Kodiak Creative
55
Winner Ill. Wesleyan IWU 1-1 , 1-0
7
Elmhurst ELM 0-2 , 0-1
Winner
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
1-1 , 1-0
55
Final
7
Elmhurst ELM
0-2 , 0-1
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
IWU Ill. Wesleyan 21 20 7 7 55
ELM Elmhurst 0 7 0 0 7

Game Recap: Football |

Football Wins CCIW Opener at Elmhurst

Smyth accounts for five touchdowns

ELMHURST, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University football team jumped out to a 28-0 lead and never looked back as it took down Elmhurst University, 55-7, Saturday night, Sept. 21, at Langhorst Field. With the decisive win, the Titans moved to 1-1 overall and 1-0 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin. EU dipped to 0-2, 0-1 in league play.

The Green and White scored the game's first 28 points to climb ahead, before blowing the game open in the second quarter. IWU carried a 41-7 lead into halftime before tacking on scores in the third and fourth quarters.

Sophomore Dermot Smyth (Chicago, Ill.-Marist) turned in an exceptional game as he accounted for five touchdowns. Smyth completed 13-of-22 passes for 115 yards and two touchdowns, while also leading IWU's ground game with 101 yards rushing and three TDs. Sophomores Jimmy Deacy (Chicago, Ill.-Mount Carmel) and Malik Gray (Chicago, Ill.-IC Catholic Prep) scored the first touchdowns of their careers in the win, while juniors Collin Elledge (Bethalto, Ill.-Civic Memorial), Danny Kent (Addison, Ill.-Fenwick), and Jahari Scott (Lake Bluff, Ill.-Lake Forest) also found the endzone. In the return game, Scott ripped off an 88-yard return, narrowly missing a touchdown.

Seven different Titans hauled in passes, with senior Marco Palaganas (St. Petersburg, Fla.-St. Petersburg Catholic) finishing with a team-leading 46 yards on three grabs. Senior Myles Kee (St. Louis, Mo.-St. Louis Priory) led the team with four receptions and tallied 34 yards receiving. 

Defensively, senior captains Frank Roti (Orland Hills, Ill.-Andrew) and Josh Hlavacek (Plainfield, Ill.-Plainfield North) tied for the team lead with six tackles apiece. Hlavacek added two tackles for loss, tying sophomore Matt Hansen (Chicago, Ill.-Marist) and senior Sam Schott (West Lafayette, Ind.-West Lafayette) for the most on the team. Hansen paced the team with 1.5 sacks. 

Senior Jimmy Capecci (Springfield, Ill.-Sacred Heart-Griffin) registered a pick, while senior Cole Pradel (Oswego, Ill.-Oswego) forced a fumble. Hansen added a blocked kick on special teams as IWU dominated in all three facets.

The Titans recorded a 445-232 lead in total offense, with the Green and White churning out 316 rushing yards to EU's 85. Elmhurst held a slim edge in passing yards with 147 to IWU's 129. IWU finished the game 8-for-15 on third down, with the defense limiting the Bluejays to a 1-of-12 showing. 

Illinois Wesleyan wasted no time after a quick three-and-out on Elmhurst's first drive. With its drive starting at its own 29-yard line, IWU handed the ball off to Scott who bursted through a hole for a 61-yard touchdown on the Titans first play from scrimmage. 

A nine-play, 54-yard drive on its next possession was capped by Smyth's first rushing touchdown to the night to double the IWU lead, 14-0.

Elmhurst appeared poised to crack the scoreboard, but the Titan defense stalled the drive to force the Bluejays into settling for a 35-yard field goal attempt. The special teams unit came up huge to keep EU off the scoreboard as Hansen got a hand on the kick and Benjamin recovered it to set the IWU offense up near midfield.

Staring down second and eight from the Elmhurst 31, Smyth took off for his second rushing score of the day. 

Carrying a 21-0 lead into the second quarter, Illinois Wesleyan finished off a drive with a four-yard TD pass from Smyth to Elledge.

Elmhurst responded with a pass down its own sideline for a 41-yard touchdown. The chunk play cut Illinois Wesleyan's lead to 28-7.

A near kickoff return for a touchdown by Scott, gave IWU first and goal on its ensuing drive. Kent punched it in to push IWU ahead, 34-7.

The Green and White scored once more before the end of the half, doing so with one second left on the clock. Aided by a penalty, the Titans finished off an eight-play, 40-yard drive with the first touchdown of Deacy's career. 

Illinois Wesleyan tacked on two more touchdowns in the second half, as Smyth and Gray ran the ball in for scores to close out a 55-7 victory.

The Titans continue CCIW play next Saturday, Sept. 28, as they play host to Carthage College. IWU's home opener is scheduled for a 1 p.m. kickoff.

 
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