CHICAGO, Ill. -- North Park Football kicked off the homecoming weekend athletic festivities as they hosted the Pioneers of Carroll University (2-2, 1-2) at the Holmgren Athletic Complex. After an exciting overtime 30-27 win over Augustana College, the Vikings came into this game with a record of 3-1 and 2-1 in CCIW play, looking to extend their excellent start to 4-1 and take another conference win.
The Pioneers started with the football and found some success early, possessing the ball for nearly five minutes. The Viking defense held true as they forced a punt just across midfield. Senior linebacker and returner Juan Nieves took the punt 28 yards to the North Park 45-yard line to give the offense some breathing room to operate for their first drive. The Viking offense took the field, and their first play was a 55-yard bomb from senior quarterback Matt Eck to junior receiver Jereme Ombogo for the first score of the game, taking a 7-0 lead after the extra point from senior kicker Michael Messersmith III.
After what was a promising start, the North Park offense struggled to move the ball and put up more points for a majority of the first half. The defense, led by senior backers Egan Bender and Jaydin Miller, only allowed 13 first half points to a Pioneer offense that was finding success moving the ball. With less than two minutes to go in the second quarter during Carroll's two-minute offense, junior defensive lineman Isaac Chandler got to the quarterback for the sack-fumble, which was subsequently recovered by fellow defensive lineman junior Dylan Hughes. This allowed the Viking offense to take over on Carroll's side of the 50-yard line and led to a Messersmith field goal to close out the half at 13-10.
North Park started with the ball in the second half and wasted no time marching down the field into Carroll territory. On a broken play, quarterback Matt Eck scrambled to his left finding receiver Jereme Ombogo in the back left corner of the endzone for the touchdown, taking the lead 17-13. Carroll responded well with a touchdown and extra point of their own with seven minutes left in the 3rd quarter. The Vikings would get the ball back down 20-17 and possess it for the remainder of the 3rd quarter, going on a methodical drive to get down to the Carroll 4-yard line heading into the 4th.
Flipping the field and going into the final quarter of the game, the Vikings would get consecutive penalties from inside the Carroll 5-yard line, moving the offense back to the Carroll 14. Senior running back Marcel Love would cap off the drive with a 6-yard rushing touchdown edging the Vikings ahead 24-20. Carroll would come right back with an explosive play that got them to North Park's 12-yard line in just one play, but the Vikings defense held true, making big stops deep in their territory only allowing a Pioneer field goal, holding on to a 24-23 lead going into the stretch.
On another broken play where Eck was scrambling to his right, he heaved a deep pass to junior receiver Wesley McCloud that would result in an interception and return for Carroll, setting their offense up at the North Park 46-yard line. Once again, the stubborn Viking defense held the Pioneers to a field goal which took some of the pressure off the offense as they took the field for their final possession of the game.
With 6:25 left in the game, the Vikings would take over 5 minutes off the clock as they went on another slow-burn drive to get inside the Carroll 10-yard line, with the help of some costly Pioneer penalties. Just before the one-minute mark of the game, junior running back Quadrell Hill would practically walk into the endzone.
The Vikings would attempt the 2-point conversion three times due to penalties moving them back, the third attempt would prove unsuccessful, and Carroll would take over with 1:04 left in the game. The Vikings were up 30-26.
In their "prevent" defense, the Vikings were able to thwart the Pioneers attempt to take the lead, despite their efforts to score by lateralling the ball to various players. An offensive lineman of Carroll would catch one of the said laterals and fumble it as he was tackled and the Vikings would recover, sealing the homecoming win 30-26.
North Park's defense held the Carroll offense to less than 300 yards and maintained the turnover advantage, taking the ball from the Pioneers four times and making numerous key stops backed up in their own endzone. Egan Bender and Jaydin Miller would lead the way with a combined 21 total tackles. Miller would tally a forced fumble and a late interception that was crucial for the North Park win. Junior safety Ben Butler added 5 solo tackles of his own, holding down the back end of the stout Viking defense.
Quick Hits:
- Matt Eck – 26-38 267 yards,
- Quadrell Hill – 13 rushes, 48 yards, 1 TD
- Marcel Love – 15 rushes, 40 yards, 1 TD
- Jereme Ombogo – 8 catches, 120 yards, 2 TDs
- Wesley McCloud – 5 catches, 49 yards
- Egan Bender – 5 solo, 6 assisted
- Jaydin Miller – 6 solo, 5 assisted, 1 forced fumble, 1 interception
- Ben Butler – 5 solo tackles
What's Next?
The Vikings (4-1, 3-1) travel to Naperville next Saturday, October 19th to take on the #1 ranked North Central Cardinals (5-0, 4-0). The Vikings will be playing in their fourth-straight homecoming game.
