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Marcheon Griffin celebrates a touchdown on Homecoming
© AshtinElder
14
Carthage CAR 1-3 , 0-2
34
Winner Ill. Wesleyan IWU 4-1 , 2-1
Carthage CAR
1-3 , 0-2
14
Final
34
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
4-1 , 2-1
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
CAR Carthage 0 7 0 7 14
IWU Ill. Wesleyan 3 10 7 14 34

Game Recap: Football |

Football Flies Past Firebirds

Titans improve to 4-1 overall

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - In a picture-perfect Homecoming Saturday at Tucci Stadium, the Illinois Wesleyan University provided a packed stadium with plenty to celebrate as the Titans soared to a 34-14 win over Carthage College, Oct. 3. With the win, the Green and White bumped its record to 4-1 overall and 1-1 in College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin play. The Firebirds fell to 1-3 (0-2 CCIW) with the setback.

The Titans leaned on a steady run game, compiling 201 rushing yards on 45 carries while limiting the Firebirds to 35 yards on 18 attempts. IWU finished with 474 yards of total offense, with sophomore Kyle Beaty (Normal, Ill.-Normal Community) adding 273 yards through the air. Beaty completed 17-of-26 pass attempts, throwing for three touchdowns. Carthage finished with 168 yards of offense.

Beaty completed passes to five different Titans, with junior Will Nazha (Barrington, Ill.-Barrington) hauling in nine catches for 168 yards with two scores. Senior defensive lineman Marcheon Griffin (Elmhurst, Ill.-IC Catholic Prep) made a splash with a three-yard touchdown pass, the first of his career. 

Illinois Wesleyan's ground game was spearheaded by a three-headed monster in junior Tony Noto (Mokena, Ill.-Lincoln-Way Central), senior Malik Gray (Chicago, Ill.-IC Catholic Prep), and sophomore Alex Pavelka (Tinley Park, Ill.-Andrew). Noto led the way with 67 rushing yards, while Gray followed with 58 yards and a touchdown. Pavelka rounded things out with 54 yards, finishing the day without being taken down behind the sticks.

On the defensive side, junior Lucas Lappin (Lake Zurich, Ill.-Lake Zurich), freshman Josh Diefenthaler (Dunlap, Ill.-Dunlap), and Griffin posted four tackles apiece. Griffin and senior Isaac Whitaker (Bloomington, Ill.-Central Catholic) were credited with 1.5 tackles for loss apiece, while sophomore Osato Odiase (Country Club Hills, Ill.-Oak Forest) tacked on a four-yard sack. 

Illinois Wesleyan opened the scoring with a 36-yard field goal from sophomore Lach Sullivan (Rochester, Ill.-Rochester) late in the first quarter. IWU pushed its lead to double digits, 10-0, on a seven-yard scamper by Gray. The touchdown, Gray's second of the season, completed a six-play, 60-yard drive for the Titans.

After Carthage cracked the scoreboard with a 10-yard touchdown run, Sullivan split the uprights from 27 yards to inch ahead, 13-7, into halftime. 

Out of the break, the Green and White took full advantage of the first offensive possession of the half. A 17-yard toss from Beaty to senior Jimmy Deacy (Chicago, Ill.-Mount Carmel) moved the sticks near midfield, before runs of eight and three yards by Pavelka took the Titans into Firebird territory. IWU did not need much time to strike, finding the endzone in less than three minutes as Beaty aired out a 44-yard touchdown pass to Nazha. 

The duo teamed up again early in the fourth to drive IWU's lead to 20. Powered by sophomore Cade Danko's (Bloomington, Ill.-Tri-Valley) 24-yard catch, Beaty went right back to Danko on second and 20, this time for a 22-yard pickup. Facing second and long from the Carthage 43, Beaty spun out of a sure-fire sack and let loose for a 43-yard touchdown pass into the hands of Nazha near the goal line.

The Firebirds responded with one play, airing out a 63-yard touchdown pass to pull back within two scores, 27-14, with 13:37 to play. 

Illinois Wesleyan chewed up nearly six minutes of clock on its next drive, marching 63 yards in nine plays. Leaning on the run game early, IWU used catches by Nazha and Deacy to earn back-to-back first downs and move across the 50. A 20-yard snag by Nazha was followed by a pass interference call, setting up the Titans with first and goal from the five. The Titans were denied on two straight rushing attempts to bring up third and three. With the play clock winding down, head coach Jared Williamson was forced to call a timeout and snuck Griffin in on the offensive side. Taking the snap, Beaty looked right before hitting a wide open Griffin on the left side of the endzone for the touchdown. Sullivan's PAT upped the lead to 34-14 with 7:38.

The Green and White defense was stout from there, holding the Firebirds to -2 yards of offense to close out the victory.

Illinois Wesleyan embarks on a two-game road trip beginning with a trek to Waukesha, Wis. next Saturday, Oct. 10. Kickoff against Carroll University is set for 2 p.m.

 
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