ELMHURST FOOTBALL TEAM POUNDS ILLINOIS WESLEYAN 40-20
Records fall as the Bluejays snap 17-year losing streak to the Titans

Boxscore      

ELMHURST, Ill. November 8, 2003 -The Elmhurst College football team's 17-year losing streak to Illinois Wesleyan University came to an abrupt halt on Saturday afternoon in Elmhurst, as the Bluejays pounded the Titans 40-20 in front of over 800 fans at Langhorst Field. It was the first win for Elmhurst over the Titans since 1987. The win also guaranteed the Bluejays their first winning season dating back to 1987 when the team finished 5-4.

"This is a huge victory for our program and our players," said Elmhurst Head Coach Paul Krohn. "We've struggled against the team in the past, and it was a great feeling for our players and our coaches to grind that losing streak to a halt."

Elmhurst (6-3 overall, 3-3 in the CCIW) outgunned Illinois Wesleyan (4-5 overall, 2-4 in the CCIW) in every aspect of the game. The Bluejays racked up 393 yards of total offense on 67 plays, while limiting the Titans to just 172 yards of total offense on 64 plays. The Bluejay defense slammed the door in the second half, allowing the Titans only 14 yards of offense on 31 plays, while sacking the Titan quarterbacks nine times.

The Bluejay defense started the game on a high note, as David Socarras (Miami, Fla.-Florida Christian) stripped Titan running back Ryan Spellman on Illinois Wesleyan's first play from scrimmage. Ramone Flowers (Maywood-Proviso East) pounced on the loose ball at the Titan 36-yard line and the Bluejay offense went to work. John McMillian (Miami, Fla.-South Miami) started the scoring by sprinting into the end zone from 21 yards out to put the Bluejays up 7-0 after Dave Molinaro's (Villa Park-Willowbrook) extra point.

After the Bluejay defense forced Illinois Wesleyan to punt on their next two possessions, the Elmhurst offense would again go to work. After Eric Luna (Wadsworth-Carmel) rushed for 13 yards and a first down over two carries, Dom Demma (Carol Stream-Glenbard North) hit Juan Quesada (Miami, Fla.-Palmetto) for a 13-yard first-down completion at the Titan 37-yard line. McMillian would get the call on first down, and he responded by scampering 37 yards to the end zone to give Elmhurst a 14-0 lead.

The Titans responded as Lucas led a seven play, 55-yard drive capped by a 12-yard touchdown pass to Eric White to pull Illinois Wesleyan to within seven points at 14-7.

Elmhurst's offense stayed red-hot, as the Bluejays marched downfield to the Titan 23-yard line. Demma pitched the ball back to Luna who put on the brakes and fired a 23-yard touchdown pass to a wide open Todd Evans (Carol Stream-Glenbard North) to cap a seven-play, 52-yard drive that gave Elmhurst a 21-7 lead.

After both teams were forced to punt on their next possession, the Titans took over on offense at their own 42-yard line. The Titans advanced the ball to the Elmhurst 36-yard line and were then aided by a personal foul on the Bluejays. Elmhurst's defense stiffened and forced Illinois Wesleyan to settle for a 39-yard Brian Klesath field goal.

The Bluejays were forced to punt on their next possession, but Brian Parker (Cooper City, Fla.-H.S.) banged out a 63-yard punt that Elmhurst downed at the Illinois Wesleyan one-yard line. The Titans were held to a three-and-out and forced to punt out of their own end zone. The Bluejays took over at the Titan 29-yard line and were aided by an Illinois Wesleyan personal foul penalty that gave the Bluejays a first-and-ten at the Illinois Wesleyan 14-yard line.

Luna scampered for nine yards on first down and on second-and-one, Demma connected with a diving Evans in the end zone to give the Bluejays a 27-10 lead after Molinaro's extra point was blocked.

The Titans would get three final points before halftime as Lucas orchestrated a seven-play 49-yard drive that pushed the ball to the Elmhurst six-yard line. The Bluejays defense again stopped the Titans from finding the end zone and Illinois Wesleyan settled for a 23-yard field goal from Klesath to cut the Elmhurst lead to 27-13 at halftime.

After Elmhurst was forced to punt on their opening possession of the third quarter, the Titan's offense took over. Lucas fired a 12-yard completion to Brock Klein on first-and-ten to give the Titans a first-down. Little did anyone know that it would be the Titans' only second half first-down until their final drive of the half. Webster Nelson (River Forest/Oak Park-River Forest) sacked Lucas on third down to force an Illinois Wesleyan punt.

After the Bluejays went three-and-out on offense, Illinois Wesleyan took over at their own 44-yard line. The Titans were driven backwards when flowers sacked Lucas on second down and the Titans could not covert on third down and punted to the Bluejays. Quesada couldn't handle the punt and the Titans pounced on the fumble at the Elmhurst 25-yard line.

The Bluejay defense would shine again, as Chris Rydelski sacked Lucas for a 12-yard loss on second down. After a failed third down conversion, the Titans punted on fourth-and-22.

Elmhurst's offense started to move downfield as Demma hit McMillian for a 17-yard gain on a screen pass, but McMillian was hit and the ball sprung loose. The Titans recovered the fumble at the Elmhurst 36-yard line. Facing a third-and-12 for a first down, Lucas was sacked again, this time by Donnie Snider (Brooksville, Fla.-Hernando) pushing the Titans back to the Elmhurst 44-yard line where they had to punt on fourth down.

The Bluejay offense went to work as Demma drove the Bluejays the Titan 24-yard line. The Bluejays elected to go for a first down on fourth-and-four. When the Titans appeared to be ready to come with a blitz, Demma audibled at the line, and connected with Terence Young (Chicago-De la Salle) on a 24-yard touchdown pass to give the Bluejays a 34-13 lead.

The Bluejay defense continued to eat up the Titans. On their next two possessions, The Titans were sacked on four out of six plays as Illinois Wesleyan lost yardage on their fifth straight possession of the half.

Elmhurst took over on offense at the Titan 39-yard line after a punt and again went to work. After Luna rushed for a first down, Demma hit Evans from 28-yards out for his third touchdown reception of the game.

The Titans would manage one last score as back-up quarterback Tom Kudyba led a 12-play, 60-yard drive capped by a five yard touchdown pass to White to make the final score 40-20.

Several school records fell during the win. Demma became the single-season leader in passing yardage and total offense. He's passed for 2,091 yards on the year and accounted for 1,976 yards of total offense. His 19 touchdown passes on the season leaves him trailing the single season record of 20 with one game to play.

Evans also became just the second receiver in school history to catch three touchdown passes in a game. The Bluejays' defense also tied a school record for most sacks in a game with nine. The team last recorded nine sacks in a 1979 game against Benedictine University (then Illinois Benedictine College).

Both McMillian and Luna finished with over 100 yards rushing. McMillian carried 15 times for 147 yards and two touchdowns while Luna rushed 23 times for 102 yards. Demma completed 16-of-21 pass attempts for 167 yards and three touchdowns. Evans was the team's leading receiver, hauling in four catches for 67 yards, including three touchdown passes.

Ryan Spellman led the Titans on the ground, finishing with 83 yards on 15 carries. Lucas finished the day 6-of-18 for 83 yards and a touchdown pass. The normally dangerous Eric White was held in check as the Bluejays limited the star wide out to just five catches for 32 yards.

Defensively, Elmhurst was led by Flowers' 10 tackles, including two quarterback sacks. Snider finished with nine stops, including five tackles for loss and three sacks. Chris Dembosz (Elmhurst-Immaculate Conception) also tallied nine stops (four for loss), including a sack.

Damon Banks led the Illinois Wesleyan defense with 12 tackles.

The Bluejays (6-3 overall, 3-3 CCIW) will look for their seventh win of the season, a feat not achieved since the 1985 season, next Saturday (November 8) when they close out the season at North Central College at 1:00 p.m.