GAME STATS PICTURED ABOVE: Mark Hiben caught a pair of touchdown passes on Saturday at Elmhurst.
Elmhurst, Ill. – The Wheaton football team dropped its first conference game of the 2012 season on Saturday with a 35-30 loss at Elmhurst College (5-1/2-1 CCIW). Wheaton is 4-2 on the year, with a 2-1 CCIW record. The Thunder will host Illinois Wesleyan next Saturday night in a 6:00 PM kickoff at McCully Stadium.
The Thunder offense racked up 596 total yards in the game, with 333 passing yards and 263 rushing yards. The Bluejays recorded 380 yards of offense, with 233 yards on the ground and 147 passing yards.
Quarterback
Jordan Roberts completed 18 of his 31 passing attempts for 333 yards, with two touchdowns. The Thunder had two 100-yard rushers in the game.
Charlie Velling (PICTURED LEFT) led the rushing attack with 112 yards, on 11 carries, with one touchdown.
Peter Jarrett carried the ball 18 times for 103 yards, with one touchdown. Sophomore receiver
Mark Hiben caught eight passes for 198 yards, with two touchdown receptions.
Senior defensive back
Garrett Cook (PICTURED RIGHT) made 13 total tackles, including 11 solo stops to lead the Wheaton defense. Linebacker
Brett Anderson made eight total tackles, with four solo hits and
Tony Vargyas made six total tackles, with five solos.
Elmhurst took a 7-0 lead when Bluejays' running back Scottie Williams scored on a three-yard touchdown run with 7:39 left in the first quarter. Velling broke free for a 45-yard touchdown run with 4:26 left in the opening quarter to tie the game at 7-7. Elmhurst responded with a nine-yard touchdown run for Williams that gave the hosts a 14-7 lead with 1:17 left in the first quarter.
Thunder kicker
Sam Cote converted a 32-yard field goal attempt with 10:14 remaining in the second quarter to trim Elmhurst's lead to 14-10. Elmhurst led the Thunder 21-10 at halftime thanks to a nine-yard touchdown run by Josh Williams with 1:24 left in the first half.
Wheaton responded on its opening drive of the second half when Roberts and Hiben connected for a 60-yard touchdown reception with 12:59 remaining in the third quarter to cut the Bluejays' advantage to 21-17. Wheaton took its first lead when Roberts hit Hiben for a 27-yard touchdown pass with 10:21 left in the third quarter to give the Thunder a 24-21 lead. Elmhurst regained the lead on a nine play scoring drive that culminated with a 24-yard touchdown pass with 5:44 remaining in the third quarter as the hosts led 28-24. Elmhurst's Wayne Tuckson intercepted a pass and returned it 57 yards for a touchdown with 2:24 left in the third quarter to extend Elmhurst's lead to 35-24.
Wheaton cut the Bluejays' lead to 35-30 when Jarrett (PICTURED LEFT) scored on a two-yard touchdown run with 14:28 left in regulation. On Wheaton's next drive the Thunder got the ball to Elmhurst's three-yard line, but the Bluejays' defense stopped the Thunder on fourth-and-one at the Elmhurst three-yard line to stop the Wheaton scoring threat. The Wheaton defense stopped the ensuing Elmhurst drive to give the Thunder the ball with 1:17 remaining in regulation. Wheaton threatened the Bluejays, but the game ended on an offensive pass interference call against the Thunder to allow the hosts to earn the victory.
