Box Score

WHEATON, Ill. – Augustana made things interesting with a second-half rally Saturday, but a Wheaton goal line stand and ensuing 99-yard drive did the Vikings in, as they dropped a 31-14 decision at McCully Stadium. Coach Steve Bell's club fell to 2-3 on the year and 1-1 in the CCIW, while the seventh-ranked Thunder improved to 5-0 overall and 2-0 in the league.
 
Marcus Smith's 54-yard return of the opening kickoff set the hosts up on a short field and Wheaton went 45 yards in eight plays for the go-ahead touchdown. Running back Sola Olateju took it in from six yards out and Stefan Knoerr's point after made it 7-0. Augustana answered with a 12-play, 67-yard march that featured four consecutive pass completions from Sam Frasco (Prospect HS, Mt. Prospect, Ill.) as well as a 25-yard scamper by the senior quarterback. However, the drive eventually stalled and Jacob Stytz's (Minooka HS, Channahon, Ill.) 33-yard field goal attempt went wide left.
 
Wheaton extended the lead to 14-0 on the first play of the second quarter. Jordan Shive's 11-yard touchdown run capped an eight-play, 92-yard drive. The big play was a 27-yard Matt Norton run on the very first snap, which got the Thunder out from the shadow of its own goal post. Knoerr added a 32-yard field goal midway through the second period and Wheaton took a 17-0 lead into the locker room at halftime.
 
Tyler Sigler intercepted a Frasco pass on the opening possession of the second half and it took just one play for the Thunder to go up 24-0. Andrew Bowers hit Andrew Lindquist for a 21-yard touchdown strike.
 
The Vikings' comeback started after a Wheaton fumble, one of four takeaways on the day by the Augustana defense. Junior corner Daniel Watson (Peoria HS, Peoria, Ill.) separated Olateju from the ball and junior middle linebacker Jack Asquini (Buffalo Grove HS, Arlington Heights, Ill.) made the recovery at the Wheaton 38 with 11:45 to play in the third. Three plays later, facing fourth-and-10, Frasco hit senior Sean Fitzgerald (Providence Catholic HS, Manhattan, Ill.) for 24 yards to keep the drive alive. Two plays after that, he hit sophomore tight end Brandon Leggett (San Juan Hills HS, San Antonio, Texas) for a 14-yard touchdown. Stytz's PAT made it 24-7 Wheaton.
 
Another takeaway led to Augustana's second touchdown as well. With just less than five minutes to play in the third quarter, sophomore corner Travon Aldridge (Rock Island HS, Rock Island, Ill.) picked off his second pass of the day and returned it 26 yards to the Thunder 33. Seven plays later, Frasco connected with junior Danny Lattner (Fenwick HS, Riverside, Ill.) from five yards out and after Stytz's conversion, the Wheaton lead was cut to 10.
 
Early in the fourth, the Viking defense forced a Thunder punt and starting from his own 26, Frasco took off on a 58-yard burst that set up a first down at the Wheaton 16. Runs of three and 11 yards by junior Brandon Price (Providence Catholic HS, Plainfield, Ill.) set up Augustana with first-and-goal at the Wheaton two, but the Thunder defense stiffened and stopped the Vikings on downs.
 
The 99-yard, 12-play Wheaton touchdown drive which followed put the contest effectively out of reach. Shive finished it off with an 18-yard touchdown run, with Knoerr's point after accounting for the final score.
 
Frasco, the national leader in total offense, accounted for 337 yards Saturday. He completed 23 of 41 pass attempts for 206 yards and two touchdowns, but tossed an uncharacteristic three interceptions. He also rushed 14 times for 131 yards, giving him 836 rushing yards at the season's midway point. However, the Thunder kept the rest of the ground game under wraps, limiting the other Viking ball carriers to just 32 yards on 23 carries. Lattner led Frasco's receiving corps with nine catches for 75 yards and a score.
 
Defensively, senior safety Fank Kalble (Hersey HS, Arlington Heights, Ill.) led the way with a dozen tackles, including eight solo stops. In addition to his forced fumble, Watson had eight tackles and an interception. Asquini finished with eight tackles, one and a half for loss, and his fumble recovery.
 
Next Saturday, October 17, Augustana will be celebrating homecoming. The Vikings will play host to Illinois Wesleyan at Lindberg Stadium with kickoff scheduled for 1:00 p.m.