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Will Nazha vs Central
© AshtinElder
27
Winner Central (IA) CEN 1-0 , 0-0
18
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 0-1 , 0-0
Winner
Central (IA) CEN
1-0 , 0-0
27
Final
18
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
0-1 , 0-0
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
CEN Central (IA) 14 0 7 6 27
IWU Ill. Wesleyan 7 0 3 8 18

Game Recap: Football |

Football’s Comeback Comes Up Short in Loss to Central

Titans host Elmhurst, Sept. 20, in CCIW opener

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University football team faltered in its season opener as the Titans fell, 27-18, to Central College Saturday, Sept. 6, at Tucci Stadium. IWU (0-1) pulled within a field goal in the fourth quarter, but CC (1-0) held off the comeback.

The Green and White spotted the Dutch a two touchdown lead, before sophomore Will Nazha's (Barrington, Ill.-Barrington) 90-yard touchdown return cut the deficit in half. The sophomore side stepped a few Dutch defenders before shaking off the Central kicker and scampering down the IWU sideline for a 90-yard touchdown return. The score pulled the Green and White within one possession, 14-7, after one quarter.

A 41-yard field goal by freshman AJ Vavrik (LaGrange, Ill.-Lyons Township) brought IWU within four, 14-10, midway through the third quarter. The 41-yard boot by the rookie is the longest by a Titan since the 2022 season when Andrew Stange hit a 42-yarder.

Central used a 26-yard touchdown reception to up its advantage to double digits, 21-10, with one quarter to play. Junior Dermot Smyth (Chicago, Ill.-Marist) punched in a touchdown from the one-yard line, after a key carry from sophomore Malik Gray (Chicago, Ill.-IC Catholic Prep). Smyth found sophomore Tony Noto (Mokena, Ill.-Lincoln-Way Central) for a two-point conversion to draw IWU within a field goal, 21-18, with 13:40 remaining.

Two field goals, one from 33 yards and another from 26, pushed the Dutch ahead, 27-18, as the Titan comeback attempt fell short.

Overall, Illinois Wesleyan finished with 212 yards of offense. Smyth went 12-for-26 through the air, with Nazha hauling in a team-high six catches for 78 yards. Sophomore GB Kruzick (Morton, Ill.-Morton) added five snags for 71 yards, while Gray led the ground game with 64 yards on 16 carries.

Defensively, Central compiled 391 yards of total offense, 293 of which came in the passing game. Junior John Gavin (Mt. Prospect, Ill.-Prospect) led the Titans with 12 tackles, including 1.5 for loss, while juniors Joey DeMaio (Woodridge, Ill.-Lemont Township) and Ashley Brantley (Los Angeles, Calif.-King Drew Medical Magnet) tallied 11 and 10, respectively.

The Titans will return to the gridiron following a bye week for the start of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin play Saturday, Sept. 20. IWU hosts Elmhurst University for a 1 p.m. kickoff inside Tucci Stadium.
 

 
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