Wheaton slogs out upset victory
The Wheaton College football team was a 10-7 victor against Bethel (Minn.) on Saturday under rainy conditions in the season opener.
Bethel (1-1) entered the game ranked fifth in this week's D3football.com Top-25 poll and Wheaton (1-0) was ranked 17th in same poll. Thunder head coach Mike Swider noted after the game, "This team played hard. There were many opportunities that they could have let the game get away and our entire football team didn't."
Wheaton took a 3-0 lead with 14:56 left in the second quarter as senior Tim Ellingsen successfully booted a 22-yard field goal in tough field conditions. Bethel punted the ball to Wheaton All-American Pete Ittersagen (Wheaton North) at the Wheaton 35-yard line and Ittersagen scampered 65 yards, past several Bethel tacklers, for a touchdown with 8:34 left in the first half to give the Thunder a 10-0 lead. The score marked the fourth time in his career that Ittersagen has returned a punt for a touchdown to set a new Wheaton career record.
Bethel scored with 39-seconds left in the first half as quarterback Reid Velo threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Aaron Bernstetter to cut the Thunder lead to 10-7. A scoreless second half, filled with big defensive plays would lead to the final outcome of 10-7.
Swider noted of his defense, "The defense made big play after big play. I can't say enough about our entire defensive unit." Swider noted of the record-setting Ittersagen, "If Pete isn't one of the best players in Division III, I don't know who is. He is a special player and he had some special plays today, including that punt return."
Sophomore tailback Rocky Gingg led the Thunder rushing attack with 81 yards on 25 carries. Wheaton Quarterback Sean Norris (Wheaton North) ran for 44 yards on 10 carries. Ittersagen tallied three punt returns for 106 yards, including the 65-yard score and he had a 21-yard kickoff return.
Senior linebackers Mike McKinney and Stephen Pagh each made nine tackles to lead a strong Wheaton defensive effort. Linebacker Jon Ryan had a big game with seven total tackles, with two tackles for lost yardage (-13 yards), including a quarterback sack of 12 yards. He also forced two fumbles and recovered one.
Logan Flannery led the Bethel offense with 142 rushing yards on 27 carries. David Benjamin led the Bethel defense with eight tackles and a pass interception. Trent Pearson, Andrew Johnson and Darrin Schwarze each made seven tackles.
Women's soccer
Loras 1, Wheaton College 0: Defending national champion Wheaton saw its undefeated streak snapped at 48 matches with Saturday's loss in Dubuque, Iowa.
An 80th-minute goal by Loras' Dolly Duffy clinched the outcome.
Wheaton (4-1) outshot Loras 21-9, forcing 8 saves by Loras goalkeeper Torey Murray. Freshman Jaime Orewiler (Wheaton North) led Wheaton with 5 shots, 4 of them on goal, but none of them hit the net.
Men's soccer
Elmhurst 12, Eureka 0: Jon Brehm, Matt Sterner and Joe Altal each scored twice for Elmhurst (6-0).