GAME STATS PICTURED ABOVE: Charlie Velling recorded 142 yards of total offense with two touchdowns.
PHOTO GALLERY, COURTESY OF THUNDERPHOTOS.COM
Lisle, Ill. – The #15-ranked Wheaton football team earned a 48-27 season-opening win at Benedictine University on Saturday evening. Wheaton is now 1-0 on the year and will host Albion College next Saturday at 7 PM in the home opener for the Thunder at McCully Stadium.
Each team scored a first-quarter touchdown for a 7-7 tie in the first 15 minutes of play, as Wheaton's touchdown was scored by senior running back
Charlie Velling on a 10-yard run.
Thunder kicker
Sam Cote gave Wheaton a 10-7 lead with 12:39 remaining in the first half with a 27-yard field goal that capped a 10-play drive of 52 yards. Benedictine countered with a touchdown run of 10 yards with 7:23 remaining in the first half to give the Eagles a 13-10 lead. Wheaton senior
Justin Swider (PICTURED LEFT) returned the ensuing kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown that gave Wheaton a 17-13 lead. Thunder quarterback
Jordan Roberts scampered into the end zone on a three-yard touchdown run with 1:12 remaining in the first half to give Wheaton a 24-13 lead at halftime.
Roberts (PICTURED RIGHT) scored on a 10-yard touchdown run in Wheaton's first offensive drive of the second half to extend the 'Orange and Blue' lead to 31-13. Benedictine converted a 50-yard touchdown toss with 7:57 remaining in the third quarter as the Eagles cut Wheaton's lead to 31-20. Cote booted a 46-yard field goal with 5:28 left in the third quarter to increase the guests' lead to 34-20. Roberts threw a six-yard touchdown pass to
Andrew Lindquist with 1:16 left in the third quarter to increase Wheaton's edge to 41-20.
Benedictine scored to conclude a six-play drive of 46 yards that cut Wheaton's lead to 41-27.
Charlie Velling concluded an outstanding night with a 38-yard touchdown run with 5:58 left in the game to account for the 48-27 final score.
Wheaton totaled 424 yards of offense, with 229 passing yards and 195 rushing yards. Benedictine had 309 yards of offense, with 212 passing yards and 97 rushing yards.
Jordan Roberts completed 22 of his 33 passing attempts for 229 yards and two touchdown passes. The senior also ran for 43 yards with two touchdowns. Velling ran for 100 yards on 11 carries with one touchdown and he caught four passes for 42 yards with one touchdown reception.
James Houck caught four passes for 45 yards.
Brett Anderson led the Wheaton defense with seven total tackles, including a tackle for lost yardage (-1 yards) and one pass break-up.
Austin Brooks had six total tackles, while
Tony Vargyas (PICTURED LEFT),
Logan McRae,
Jordan Higgins and
Adam Dansdill each tallied five total tackles. Vargyas had two quarterback hurries, with a tackle for lost yardage (-1 yards) and McRae had a tackle for loss of -8 yards. Vargyas had a game-high two quarterback hurries with Dansdill recovering a fumble.
