CHICAGO, Ill. -- The North Park Vikings football team came out on top, 20-18, versus the Illinois Wesleyan Titans on a rainy Saturday afternoon. The NPU defense and special teams of the Vikings came up big in critical moments and the offense was able to put together some nice drives when they needed to.
The Titans struck first, blocking North Park's punt from inside the 5-yard line and recovered it in the endzone, missing the following extra point to make it 6-0. Less than a minute into the second quarter, Wesleyan's offense scored on a 2-yard QB keeper, only to fail the 2-point conversion, extending their lead to 12-0.
Junior defensive back and All-CCIW returner Juan Nieves and the kickoff return team responded to the Titans' second score with an 90-yard touchdown return, electrifying the faithful, rain-enduring North Park crowd. The return score was the third of Nieves' career.
Junior kicker Michael Messersmith's extra point made it a 12-7 and this score would hold going into halftime.
On North Park's second possession of the 3rd quarter, the offense marched down the field from their own 20-yardline behind a 38-yard run from junior running back Marcel Love and a 22-yard reception from sophomore receiver Jereme Ombogo. This set up sophomore running back Quadrell Hill's rushing touchdown that was followed by a conduct penalty on the Titans, moving the Vikings up to the 1-yard line for their extra-point attempt. They elected to go for the 2-point conversion to make it 15-12, but the Vikings were stopped at the line of scrimmage, making it 13-12 in their favor.
Two possessions later and two minutes into the 4th quarter, the Vikings scored again on a bootleg pass where junior quarterback Matt Eck was rolling to his right and found senior tight end Thomas Knight on the opposite side of the field for a 71-yard touchdown in Knight's lone grab of the day.
With a 20-12 NPU lead, the Titans were still within striking distance. Their following possession to Knight's touchdown was a long six-minute drive that resulted in a 9-yard rushing touchdown. The 2-point try was a quarterback keeper to the right that was snuffed out by a swarm of Viking defensive players at the 1-yardline.
North Park burned five more minutes off the clock, turning it over on downs to IL Wesleyan at the Titans' 20-yardline with 2:31 left in the game. The Titans made it the North Park's 39-yardline, however they too turned it over on downs on a critical 4th & 5 on a pass that was broken up by junior defensive lineman Thomas Ainsworth. The Vikings would go on to kneel during their next possession to run out the clock and win the game, 20-18, beating Illinois Wesleyan for the first time in six seasons.
Quick Hits:
The defense flew around today as 10 players had 5 or more total tackles, and 6 players had 5 or more solo tackles. As a unit they had 4 pass break ups, 1 interception, a forced fumbled (recovered), 7 tackles for loss (TFL), and 3 sacks. A hard-nosed group effort by the defense in this game.
- Juan Nieves – 3 returns for 136 yards, 1 TD, 1 interception, 1 sack, 2 PBUs, 2.5 tackles for loss, 7 total tackles
- Jaydin Miller – 6 solo tackles, 8 assisted tackles, 1.5 sacks, 2 tackles for loss ... 14 tackles is a new career high
- Jeff Fisher – 6 solo tackles, 1 PBU
- Marcel Love – 9 rushes, 79 yards
- Quadrell Hill – 8 rushes, 29 yards, 1 TD
- Matt Eck – 9-18 passing, 1 touchdown
- AJ Harris – 3 receptions, 1 rush, 48 total yards
- Thomas Knight – 1 reception, 71 yards, 1 TD
What's Next?
The Vikings move to 4-2, 3-2 CCIW on the season, looking to keep things rolling heading into the toughest part of their schedule, traveling to Rock Island next weekend to face a hot Augustana team (5-1, 4-1 CCIW) who just knocked off #25 Wash U, followed by hosting #1 and defending national champs North Central College at home on the 28th.
