Augustana couldn't overcome three turnovers this past Saturday, dropping a 24-10 decision to 17th-ranked Illinois Wesleyan at Lindberg Stadium. The game marked the 2013 home finale for the Vikings, who are now 5-4 on the year and 3-3 in CCIW play. They will close out the season with a trip to Naperville, Illinois on Saturday, November 16 to face 4th-ranked North Central.
 
Augustana's ground game has produced an average of 241.4 yards per game this season, which leads the CCIW when including all games. The Vikings are second in the league (240.3 ypg) through six conference games. Sophomore quarterback Sam Frasco (Prospect HS, Mt. Prospect, Ill) leads the team with 740 rushing yards (6.7 per carry) despite missing the Illinois Wesleyan contest and nearly all of the Carthage game two weeks ago. Senior running back Eric Chandler (Cary-Grove HS, Cary, Ill.) has missed two games, but is second with 641 yards (5.8 ypc, team-high six touchdowns). Each averages over 90 rushing yards per game.
 
Through the air, Frasco is 88 of 152 (57.9 percent) with seven touchdowns and five interceptions. Sophomore Chris Salazar (Providence Catholic HS, Plainfield, Ill.) has filled in the past two weeks. On the season, he has completed 17 of 29 (58.6 percent) throws for 292 yards and three scores with a pair of interceptions. Senior wide receiver Nick Krantz (Moline HS, Moline, Ill.) has a team highs of 33 catches and 409 receiving yards.
 
Defensively, the Vikings give up averages of 147.8 yards per game rushing and 181.2 through the air. Augustana opponents have averaged 4.2 yards per carry and completed 58.1 percent of the pass attempts. Led by junior Ben Fornek's (Batavia HS, Batavia, Ill.) five interceptions, the Vikings have picked off a CCIW-best 15 passes and forced a league-high 23 turnovers total.
 
Individually, senior linebacker Erik Westerberg (York HS, Elmhurst, Ill.) has recorded 70 total tackles, 54 solo stops and 9½ tackles for loss this season – all team highs. Freshman linebacker Michael Daniels (Geneseo HS, Geneseo, Ill.) is second on the team with 43 tackles. Senior corner Sean Walker (Annawan HS, Annawan, Ill.) is second behind Fornek with three interceptions and has broken up a Viking-best seven passes.
 
Westerberg, Chandler and senior center Eric Dratnol (Kaneland HS, Montgomery, Ill.) were all named this past week to the Capital One Academic All-District Seven team. Westerberg, already a two-time Academic All-American, made the all-district team for the third year in a row and Dratnol is a repeat selection.
 
Coach John Thorne's North Central squad poses a formidable foe for Augustana in this week's season finale. The Cardinals are 9-0 overall and 6-0 in the league and have recorded decisive wins over their two closest CCIW pursuers in the last two weeks, defeating Illinois Wesleyan 46-17 on November 2 and Wheaton 35-16 this past Saturday.
 
Quarterback Spencer Stanek, who has been named the CCIW's Offensive Player of the Week five times already this season, leads a powerful North Central offense that produces 511.2 total yards and 43.3 points per game. Stanek ranks third in the nation in passing efficiency. He's completed 185 of 247 (74.9 percent) pass attempts for 2,394 yards and has an amazing 28-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio. He's also rushed for 326 yards and six touchdowns.
 
Ryan Kent leads a balanced Cardinal running attack which produces averages of 238.3 yards per game and 5.4 per carry. Kent has 635 yards and five touchdowns on 102 attempts (6.2 per carry). Zach Pattat has run for 407 yards and two touchdowns on 73 carries. Tackle Jace Werkheiser is a returning first team All-CCIW performer. Peter Sorenson (55 catches for 767 yards and 11 touchdowns) has been Stanek's favorite target, with Chad O'Kane (40-508-5) and Ryne Rezac (32-336-3) excelling as well. Sorenson and O'Kane were second team All-CCIW selections a year ago.
 
North Central's defense features 2012 All-CCIW first teamers Josh Fick (DL), Alex Tripp (DE) and Shane Dierking (SS) as well as corner Connor Douglas, a second team all-conference selection last year. Linebacker Nick Slezak has a team-high 79 tackles, including 13 for loss. The Cardinals allow averages of 112.4 yards per game on the ground, 143.2 through the air and 13.2 points per game. Opponents average just 3.1 yards per carry and have completed only 50.8 percent of their passes.
 
 
2013 AUGUSTANA VIKINGS FOOTBALL SCHEDULE/RESULTS

DATE	OPPONENT	SITE	SCORE/TIME
September 7	Mount St. Joseph	HOME	W, 20-10
September 14	Central (Family Weekend)	HOME	L, 13-38
September 21	Loras	Dubuque, Iowa	W, 35-10
October 5	*Wheaton	Wheaton	L, 15-24
October 12	*Elmhurst (Homecoming)	HOME	W, 28-17
October 19	*Millikin	Decatur, Illinois	W, 49-17
October 26	*North Park	HOME	L, 35-45
November 2	*Carthage	Kenosha, Wisconsin	W, 28-0
November 9	*Illinois Wesleyan	HOME	L, 10-24
November 16	*North Central	Naperville, Ill.	1:00 p.m.

* - College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin game
 
 
2013 CCIW STANDINGS

School	CCIW	Overall
North Central	6-0	9-0
Illinois Wesleyan	5-1	8-1
Wheaton	4-2	7-2
AUGUSTANA	3-3	5-4
Elmhurst	3-3	4-5
North Park	3-3	3-6
Carthage	0-6	1-8
Millikin	0-6	1-8

           

LAST WEEK'S SCORES  
November 2
Illinois Wesleyan 24, Augustana 10
Elmhurst 10, Carthage 9
North Central 35 Wheaton 16
North Park 35, Millikin 32
 
THIS WEEK'S GAMES 
November 9
AUGUSTANA at North Central, 1:00 pm
Elmhurst at Illinois Wesleyan, 1:00 pm
Millikin at Carthage, 1:00 pm
Wheaton at North Park, 1:00 pm