Decatur, Ill. – The Wheaton football team traveled to Millikin University on Saturday for the final Thunder road game on the 2024 regular season schedule. Wheaton emerged with a 64-10 victory against the Big Blue. Wheaton has won 21 of the last 22 meeting with the Millikin.

The Thunder out-scored Millikin 29-0 in the second quarter today to pull away in the win. The guests had 38 first downs in the game, to just eight for the Big Blue. Wheaton had 547 yards of total offense, with 313 yards through the air and 234 rushing yards. The Thunder defense contained Millikin's offense as the Big Blue had just 158 yards of offense, with just 12 rushing yards and 146 passing yards.

Starting quarterback Mark Forcucci (PICTURED LEFT) was 9-of-13 passing on the day. He threw for 157 yards with five touchdown passes. Wide receiver Ben Bonga caught all five passes thrown his way for 93 receiving yards, with three touchdown catches. Jack Herrington caught four passes for 77 yards. Running back Giovanni Weeks ran for 140 yards on 13 carries as he averaged 10.8 yards per carry.
 
Defensive end Peter Johanik was the leading tackler for the Thunder with eight total tackles, including five solo stops. Among his eight tackles was an eye-popping six tackles for loss (-22 yards), including 3.5 quarterback sacks (-16 yards). Linebacker Luca Torti had seven total tackles for the Thunder defense, registering one quarterback sack. Max Wilson and Jaxon Powell each recorded four total tackles. Powell collected a 10-yard sack.    

The Big Blue scored the first points of the game on a 46-yard field goal that gave Millikin a 3-0 lead with 11:19 remaining in the first quarter. Wheaton then responded with 64-points without Millikin scoring again until the fourth quarter. Bonga caught touchdown passes of 13 and 27 yards from Forcucci in the first quarter as the Thunder led 14-0 at the end of the first quarter.

Nate Tofilon returned a punt block for a three-yard touchdown return in the opening minute of the second quarter to score the first of Wheaton's 29 second-quarter points. Forcucci threw a 39-yard touchdown pass and a one-yard touchdown pass to Randy Vojtisek later in the quarter to put the guests up 35-3. The Wheaton defense recorded a safety less than one minute after Vojtisek's touchdown as Wheaton's lead increased to 37-3. Three offensive plays after the safety, Bonga caught a 17-yard touchdown pass with 2:16 remaining in the first half, and after the PAT kick missed Wheaton led 43-3.

Deuce Scott reached the end zone on an eight-yard touchdown run in the third quarter and receiver Ryan Kenyon caught a 28-yard touchdown pass. The Thunder led 57-3 at the end of the third quarter.

Quarterback Xaviere Jones scored Wheaton's final touchdown of the game with a seven-yard touchdown run that moved Wheaton's lead to 64-3 with 14:53 left in the game. Millikin recovered a Wheaton fumble and returned it 40 yards for a touchdown and the final score of the game.

Wheaton will close out its regular season schedule next Saturday in a noon kickoff against North Park. The Thunder football program will honor its seniors before the game with "Senior Day" festivities. The "Senior Day" ceremonies are expected to begin at approximately 11:25 a.m.   

NOTE WORTHY: Johanik's six tackles for loss (TFL) today is the third-highest TFL total in a Division III game this season, and his 3-1/2 sacks ranks in the top-10 in a D3 game this season...Weeks continued to extend several of his school records in today's game including career rushing yards, with 5,187 career yards as he moved into 29th place in Division III history in total rushing yards...Weeks' 140 yards today gives him 4,035 career rushing yards in CCIW contests as he passes North Central's Ethan Greenfield's (2018-22) 3,977 yards in conference play to become the league's all-time leading rusher...Bonga moved into seventh place on Wheaton's career receiving yards list with 2,769 yards in his Wheaton career...with three touchdown receptions today, Bonga now has 186 career points to move into a tie for 15th on Wheaton's career scoring list with running back Rocky Gingg (2007-10).