Wheaton. Ill. – The Wheaton football team picked up its biggest non-conference, regular season victory in program history on Saturday as the Thunder defeated University of Mount Union at McCully Stadium, 24-23 in dramatic fashion. All-American
Aiden Byrne blocked a game-tying PAT kick attempt with 22-seconds left in regulation to help lead Wheaton to its first victory in eight all-time meetings against the Purple Raiders. Wheaton (1-0) entered today's season opener ranked fifth in both Division III polls, and Mount Union (0-1) is third in the same preseason polls.
Wheaton's win on its home field snapped Mount Union's streak of 38-consecutive victories in season openers. The Thunder triumph snapped the Purple Raiders' 85-game winning streak in regular season play.
Thunder head coach
Jesse Scott noted following the game, "I am really excited for our team to come out of here with a win in week one. We knew going into the game the type of opponent we were going to be facing and it would require 60 minutes of football. I am not sure we were prepared for it to come down to quite literally the last play of the game. But I am so proud of the way that our players played throughout the course of the game."
Wheaton led the guests 17-7 at halftime.
Matt Crider put the hosts on the scoreboard with a nine-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, and
Xander Carroll caught a 22-yard touchdown pass from
Mark Forcucci for Wheaton's first quarter scoring. Crider's touchdown was setup by defensive back
Eli Reeves' (PICTURED LEFT) interception on the opening UMU drive of the game, allowing Wheaton to start its first offensive drive at the Purple Raiders' 35-yard line. Omari Allen scored on a five-yard touchdown pass for the guests' lone score of the first half. Thunder kicker
Peter Bertoni converted a 25-yard field goal with 5:11 remaining in the second quarter to propel the Thunder to the 17-7 halftime lead.
Mount Union returned from the halftime intermission looking sharp as UMU scored on a 26-yard touchdown pass, and a 28-yard field goal to tie the game at 17-17 with 2:14 remaining in the third quarter.
Wheaton marched down the field in the fourth quarter with an impressive 96-yard drive over 10 plays that culminated with a five-yard touchdown pass from Forcucci (PICTURED RIGHT) to
Malachi Jones that helped Wheaton regain the lead at 24-17 with 5:28 left in regulation. The longest play of that drive was a 31-yard connection from Forcucci to
Caleb Titherington on the play before Jones' touchdown catch.
Mount Union responded with a 13-play drive that ended on a one-yard touchdown run with 22-seconds left to cut Wheaton's lead to 24-23. On Connell Rafferty's ensuing PAT kick attempt, Byrne pushed through the UMU line to get his hand up and block the PAT attempt. Wheaton recovered the onside kick on the kickoff attempt that followed and Wheaton knelt twice to defeat the Purple Raiders for the first time.
"I was certainly encouraged with how we played in game one. We started hot in all phases of the game, with the exception of our interception. The points that they (UMU) had early in the game were the product of a great return off of the interception", noted Scott. He continued, "We were humming from an offensive perspective early. Obviously, they responded and have a great defensive unit and have physical players all over the place." He concluded, "I do think it was a game of ebbs and flows, which might not be representative of a typical week one in some ways, but it is in plenty of others."
The Thunder offense gained 332 yards of total offense, with 280 passing yards and 52 rushing yards. The Mount Union offense gained 322 yards of total offense with 107 rushing yards and 215 passing yards. Wheaton achieved 22 first downs in the game and the Purple Raiders had 16.
Luke Heggie (PICTURED LEFT) led the Thunder defense with nine total tackles, including one tackle for loss (minus-one yard).
Zeke Harris,
Brett Dieter and
Colin Moore each had five total tackles, with Harris tallying a quarterback sack of minus-four yards. Reeves and David Harvin each had four total tackles, with Reeves collecting his key first quarter interception return.
Scott noted of the Thunder defense, "Our defense played stout right from the jump, the only points we conceded in the first half were a consequence of an offensive miscue. That gave a lot of confidence for us to go be as aggressive as we were in plus territory."
Forcucci completed 56.4% of his passes as he was 22-for-39 through the air. He threw for 280 yards with two touchdown passes.
Caleb Titherington and
Seth Kortenhoeven each had seven reception for 98 yards apiece. Crider ran for 59 yards on 20 carries with the one touchdown run.
Wheaton travels to Albion College next Saturday for a noon (EDT) kickoff against the Britons.
