ELMHURST WINS HOMECOMING GAME OVER CARTHAGE 21-0
Bluejays shut out two opponents in the same season for the first time since 1987.

Boxscore      

ELMHURST, Ill. October 11, 2003 --It was a happy homecoming for the Elmhurst College football team. The Bluejays avenged a 43-7 loss in Kenosha, Wis. last season by shutting out Carthage College 21-0 in front of over 3,100 fans at Langhorst Field.

"This was another great win for our team," said Head Coach Paul Krohn. "Our defense really disrupted Carthage's offense and came up with several big plays. Our offense was able to capitalize on several big-play opportunities.

Both teams offenses struggled out of the gate as neither team was able to score on their opening possession. Carthage mounted the first drive of the game midway through the first quarter. The Redmen marched from their own 20-yard line to inside the Bluejays' 20-yard line. Facing a fourth and long at the Elmhurst 15-yard line, the Redmen elected to go for the first down put Chris Smith's pass to Mike Quinn was incomplete.

After the Bluejays were forced to punt the Elmhurst defense held Carthage to a 3-0 in the opening possession of the second quarter. Elmhurst took over on offense at their own 12-yard line. Four plays later, facing a second and 21 at their own 26-yard line Dom Demma (Carol Stream-Glenbard North) found Juan Quesada (Miami, Fla.-Palmetto) open down the sideline. Quesada out jumped his defender and then pulled away for a 74-yard touchdown completion. It was the second consecutive week Quesada has scored on a 74-yard touchdown pass.

The Bluejay would pad their lead almost immediately. The defense forced Carthage into a third and long at the Redmen 43-yard line. Smith dropped back to pass but never saw David Soccaras (Miami, Fla.-Florida Christian) blitzing from his blind side. Socarras' hit jarred the ball loose and Brian Keaton (Crete-Crete-Monee) recovered the loose ball at the Carthage 36-yard line.

It took the offense just one play to capitalize on the turnover. Demma handed the ball of to Eric Luna (Wadsworth-Carmel) who promptly pitched the ball back to Demma on a flea-flicker. Demma then connected with Todd Evans (Carol Stream-Glenbard North) for a 36-yard touchdown pass. The Bluejays led 14-0 after Dave Molinaro's (Villa Park-Willowbrook) extra point.

Neither team was able to score on their next two possessions and Carthage took control of the ball on offense at the Redmen 48-yard line with 1:20 to play in the first half. Smith marched the Redmen inside the red zone at Carthage had a third down at the Elmhurst 16-yard line with 15 seconds to play in the half. Smith dropped pack to pass and was leveled by Soccaras and Matt Irps (Bourbonnais/Bradley-Bourbonnais). The hit jarred the ball loose and Donnie Snider (Brooksville, Fla-Hernando) rumbled 71 yards to the end zone as time expired in the half. Molinaro's extra point put the Bluejays up 21-0 at halftime and there would be no additional scoring.

The second half turned into a defensive battle with neither team able to put any points on the scoreboard. Carthage took the opening drive into the Elmhurst red zone but failed on a fourth and ten at the Bluejay 17-yard line.

After an Elmhurst punt on offense, the Bluejays' defense again stuffed Carthage in the red zone. Smith was picked off by Benitez Brown (Sparta-H.S.) at the Elmhurst 12-yard line to stop a Carthage drive. The Redmen would not get inside the red zone for the remainder of the game.

The Bluejays' offense strung together a drive in the final six minutes of the game to put the ball inside the Carthage Redmen to eat up the remainder of the game clock and come away with the win.

Offensively, the Bluejays finished with 17 first down and 295 yards of total offense on 69 plays. (119 rushing, 176 passing). Elmhurst struggled on third down, converting just four of 15 chances. Carthage finished with 413 yards on 86 plays, including 255 rushing yards. Carthage converted just three of 21 third down attempts against the Bluejays but did complete five of 12 fourth down attempts.

Individually, Demma finished 13-of-27 through the air for 176 yards and two touchdowns. John McMillian (Miami, Fla.-South Miami) rushed for 73 yards on 11 attempts while Luna finished with 67 yards on 25 carries. Quesada caught six passes for 120 yards and a touchdown.

Dante Washington led Carthage's rushing game, finishing with 185 yards on 26 attempts but could not help the Redmen put points on the board. Chris Smith and Dennis Alvardo combined to complete just 15-of-41 attempts and throw three interceptions.

Defensively, Ramone Flowers (Maywood-Proviso East) led the charge with 12 tackles and two pass break-ups. Soccaras had a huge game, totaling nine tackles, including three tackles for loss and one and a half sacks. He also forced two fumbles, broke up two pass plays and recorded two quarterback hurries. Irps finished with nine stops as well as two quarterback hurries. Jason Gonzalez (Sunrise, Fla.-Piper) also totaled nine tackles. Brown, Taj English (Opa-Locka, Fla./Hialeah) and Ward Brady (Bartlett-Glenbard North) all had interceptions for Elmhurst.

The win was the second shut out victory of the year for the Bluejays, who previously blanked the University of Chicago 24-0 on September 20. It's the first time Elmhurst has recorded two shut out wins since the 1987 season when the Bluejays blanked Benedictine and Carthage in the same season.

"Our team has played extremely well so far," said Krohn. "We're playing with some confidence on both sides of the ball. Hopefully we can keep up this pace for the entire season."

The Bluejays will continue CCIW play next weekend, when they travel to Decatur to face Millikin University on Saturday, October 18.