Box Score
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Sophomore quarterback Sam Frasco (Prospect HS, Mt. Prospect, Ill.) rushed for 172 yards and two touchdowns Saturday to lead Augustana to a 28-17 Homecoming win over Elmhurst. Coach Rob Cushman's Vikings improve to 3-2 overall and 1-1 in the CCIW, while the Bluejays fall to 1-4 and 0-2 in the league.
 
The visitors took the lead late in the first quarter when running back Josh Williams burst through a hole on the right side and went 54 yards to paydirt. The run capped a four-play, 67-yard drive and David Tomis' point after put Elmhurst up 7-0. The Bluejays missed a scoring opportunity earlier in the period. After recovering an Augustana fumble in Viking territory, they drove to the 30, but Tomis' 47-yard field goal attempt went wide right.
 
The hosts answered right back on the next possession after the Bluejay touchdown. Keyed by a 24-yard run by freshman LaSalle Smith (Plainfield East HS, Bolingbrook, Ill.) on a fake punt, Augustana drove 75 yards in nine plays for the equalizer. Frasco finished off the march with a 20-yard option keeper to the end zone.
 
Junior Ben Fornek's (Batavia HS, Batavia, Ill.) fourth interception of the year halted Elmhurst's next drive.
 
A 21-yard touchdown run on an end-around by senior Nick Krantz (Moline HS, Moline, Ill.) put the Vikings on top with 1:37 to go before halftime. It capped a six-play, 51-yard drive and Conner Murray's (Conifer HS, Morrison, Colo.) PAT made it 14-7 Vikings.
 
On the first play of the next possession, freshman linebacker Jack Asquini (Buffalo Grove HS, Arlington Heights, Ill.), filling in for an injured Erik Westerberg (York HS, Elmhurst, Ill.), picked off Bluejay quarterback Logan Stelzriede at the Elmhurst 31. The Vikings were assessed a 15-yard penalty after the play, but Frasco took the first snap and scrambled 46 yards to the end zone. Murray's conversion gave Augustana a 21-7 halftime lead.
 
Elmhurst cut the deficit to 21-14 with a 13-play, 67-yard drive to start the second half. Stelzriede punched it in from the one.
 
Tomis' 28-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter got the Bluejays within 21-17, but Augustana again answered, this time going 71 yards in seven plays for a touchdown. Senior Eric Chandler (Cary-Grove HS, Cary, Ill.) went 18 yards up the middle on the first play and Frasco broke off runs of 22 and 17 yards before Chandler eventually capped the march with a one-yard touchdown run.
 
The Vikings stopped Elmhurst on downs twice in the final five minutes to secure the victory.
 
In addition to his 172 rushing yards on 19 carries, Frasco connected on 12 of 18 pass attempts for 107 yards. Krantz was on the receiving end of six passes for 78 yards and Chandler added 61 yards on 15 rushes. Asquini led Augustana with 10 tackles in his first collegiate start, recording six solo and four assists. Fornek had three pass breakups.
 
The Vikings hit the road next Saturday, October 19, taking on Millikin in a 1:00 p.m. contest in Decatur, Illinois.