Kenosha, Wis. - Wheaton put the finishing touches on its unblemished regular season with a dominant 38-3 victory over Carthage College on Saturday afternoon. The victory wraps up an outright conference title for the Thunder and the first undefeated regular season since 2019. Wheaton also earns the CCIW's automatic qualifying bid into the Division III Playoffs, with the NCAA Selection Show scheduled to air on Sunday, November 15 at 4 pm.
Wheaton's defense held its opponents under 100 total yards for the second-consecutive week, limiting the Firebirds to just 15 yards of total offense. Carthage was limited to negative-seven yards rushing marking back-to-back weeks of negative rushing yards allowed as well. Led by a season-high 13 tackles for loss, Wheaton also tallied a season-high six sacks. Wheaton's offense was balanced yet again, rolling up 206 yards on the ground and 175 through the air.
Seth Kortenhoeven continued his record-breaking campaign, recording his third punt return touchdown of the season to set a new single-season program record and move him one shy of
Pete Ittersagen's career return record. Kortenhoeven returned three punts for 79 yards, moving him past Phillip Nichols into second place in program history with 1,103 career punt return yards.
David Harvin III kicked off the game with an interception on the second play of the opening drive, but Wheaton returned the favor with a fumble going in to the score. On their ensuing drive,
Luca Carbonaro capped a three-play drive with a five-yard touchdown run. After a Carthage fake punt was called back by penalty, Kortenhoeven dialed up a 49-yard house call for his record-breaking punt return to quickly make it 14-0.
Caleb Ryan's 31-yard field goal late in the quarter, put Wheaton ahead 17-0 after the first quarter.
Wheaton's offense continued to finish drives in the second quarter, capping an 11-play, 77-play drive with a two-yard touchdown plunge by
Kenny Jager.
Daniel Nussbaum recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff and three plays later, Carbonaro (PICTURED RIGHT) found
Aaron Nussbaum in the end zone for a one-yard touchdown pass to push the lead to 31-0. Wheaton forced a fumble again on the next kickoff, but gifted the ball back with its own fumble two plays later. Another exchange of turnovers marked the end of the half with Wheaton still leading 31-0.
Another fumble two plays into the second half set the Firebirds up on the Wheaton four-yard line but the Thunder defense pushed Carthage back 12 yards led by a
Rex Kroger sack, forcing Carthage to settle for a 34-yard field goal. Wheaton would conclude its scoring later in the third quarter when Carbonaro found the end zone for a second rushing score, this one from 17 yards out, to cap an 11-play, 80-yard drive and account for the final margin of 38-3.
Carbonaro completed 16-of-28 passes for 150 yards and a touchdown and was also Wheaton's leading rusher with 76 yards on eight carries with two touchdowns.
Owen Yorke tallied 41 yards on eight carries and
Kenny Jager ran nine times for 40 yards and a score.
Seth Kortenhoeven caught four passes for 55 yards and
Caleb Titherington brought in five passes gaining 36 yards.
Zeke Harris was Wheaton's leading hitter, tallying 12 tackles with four tackles for loss and one sack.
Rex Kroger recorded five stops including 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.
Owen Downing had four tackles and 1.5 sacks and
Jaxon Powell also had a sack.
Colin Moore and
Luke Heggie joined
Daniel Nussbaum with fumble recoveries and Harvin and
Anthony Barbar recorded Wheaton's two interceptions.
Note Worthy:
Zeke Harris's 12 tackles moved him up four spots on the career tackle list, into 16th place with 221 career stops.
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