No. 14 Cardinals upset
Fourteenth-ranked North Central College was shocked 16-13 by nonconference foe Washington University (Mo.) Saturday night. The Cardinals fell to 2-1 with the loss while the Bears improved to 3-1.
North Central seemingly had the game in hand with just under five minutes to play. With the ball on their own 22, the Cardinals drove to their 34 before Kyle Kniss was intercepted by Charlie Machan, who returned it to the North Central 14.
The Cardinal defense stopped the Bears on the first three downs and nearly had 2 interceptions. On fourth-and-10, Washington quarterback Buck Smith connected with Joe Lubelski, who broke one tackle and raced into the end zone for a 16-13 advantage with 2:17 to play.
On its ensuing drive the Cardinals got to near midfield before Kniss was sacked and then intercepted again by Machan, who returned it 20 yards to the North Central 39. The Bears then ran out the clock.
The Washington defense did a solid job of shutting down the Cardinals' biggest strength, their running game. Dominic Sulo was held to 58 yards on 18 attempts. Kniss finished 16 of 30 for 150 yards, one touchdown and the two interceptions. Quarterback Aaron Fanthorpe (Naperville North), who has split time with Kniss behind center this season, did not play because of illness.
Wheaton College 42, Hope College 7:ŒThe No. 6-ranked Thunder scored 35 unanswered points to finish the nonconference game.
Chris Fossum caught a 5-yard touchdown pass from Sean Norris and a 57-yard bomb from Kyle Bradley. Rocky Gingg ran for 2 touchdowns.
On defense Wheaton's Andy Studebaker finished with 3 of the team's 7 sacks.
Hinsdale Central 42, Oak Park 22: Sophomore quarterback John Whitelaw ran for 3 touchdowns and threw for 2 others to lead Hinsdale Central at Oak Park.
Hinsdale Central (4-1, 2-0), now atop the West Suburban Silver with York's loss to Lyons Twp. on Friday, exploded after leading 7-3 at halftime.
Whitelaw threw touchdown passes to Davis Kalsbeek and Mac Lagor, while the Red Devils defense limited Oak Park standout tailback Levell Coppage to 83 yards rushing.
"One of our mottoes is 'practice fast, play fast,' and we did not do that in the first half," said Hinsdale Central coach Mike DiMatteo. "We changed the tempo in the second half."