WAUKESHA, Wis. -- North Park football dropped their second straight CCIW match up, this week it was on the road falling 24-10 to Carroll University. Despite a strong defensive showing in the second half and several big plays through the air, the Vikings couldn't overcome Carroll's fast start.
The Pioneers opened the game with a touchdown on their second drive after both teams punted the ball away on their first offensive possessions, with quarterback Charlie King finding tight end Reed Breckheimer in the middle of the field for the 15-yard touchdown. King ended his afternoon completing 17 of his 26 passes for 214 yards and two touchdowns and Breckheimer caught six passes for 54 yards and two scores. Carroll's running back Carson Crouch added four receptions for 71 yards, including a 49-yard touchdown run.
North Park got on the board with a 29-yard field goal from sophomore kicker Drayden Wilcox near the end of the first quarter, scoring the Vikings' only points of the game. The Pioneers would go on to put up 17 unanswered points by the end of the game. The Vikings' offense struggled to get anything going all game, eventually turning to all three quarterbacks giving it a shot during the game, searching for an answer. Sophomore Cailix Dillon started the game but was replaced by freshman quarterback Paul Palmer, who previously only ran one play for the Vikings against Elmhurst where he rushed for eleven yards.
North Park later found momentum in the fourth when senior quarterback Justen Green took over under center, and connected with senior receiver Micah Catron for a 25-yard touchdown. Green was the week 1 starter at Ripon where he led the Vikings to their 1-0 start to the season. He finished the day 10-for-18 with 125 yards and one touchdown in just the fourth quarter, while senior receiver Jereme Ombogo hauled in six receptions for 70 yards. Defensively, freshman defensive back Darrius Whiters made his presence felt in a major way, snagging two interceptions for 85 return yards and 4 solo tackles. Sophomore linebackers DJ Johnson and Armando Martinez led the defense with nine and six total tackles.
Despite having an advantage over Carroll in total plays (75–54) and controlling the tempo in the second half, North Park falls to 2–4 overall and 1–3 in CCIW play. The Vikings have a tall task next week when they return home to face #1 North Central College at Holmgren Athletic Complex on Saturday, October 18th.
