Box Score

ROCK ISLAND, Ill.— Augustana exploded for 49 second-half points Saturday to send 21 seniors out in style with a 59-6 win over Millikin. Six different players scored the Vikings' seven touchdowns during a snowy and windy second half at Lindberg Stadium. Coach Rob Cushman's squad finishes the year 5-5 overall and 4-3 and tied for third place in the CCIW. The Big Blue finishes the year 3-7 and 1-6 in the conference.
 
The Augustana lead was just 10-0 heading into the locker room at halftime. A 56-yard completion from junior quarterback Sam Frasco (Prospect HS, Mt. Prospect, Ill.) to classmate Sean Fitzgerald (Providence Catholic HS, Manhattan, Ill.) on the game's first play from scrimmage set up a 30-yard Conner Murray (Conifer HS, Morrison, Colo.) field goal and a 3-0 Viking lead less than two minutes in. On Millikin's first possession, quarterback Nick Pippin had his 3rd-and-6 pass attempt picked off by senior safety Bo Goshorn (Romeoville HS, Romeoville, Ill.), who returned it 42 yards to the west end zone. Murray's point after made it 10-0 with 12:14 to play in the first quarter.
 
The Big Blue responded by driving 65 yards in nine plays before the march stalled. Chayce Volpert was called on to attempt a 34-yard field goal, but sophomore Daniel Watson (Peoria HS, Peoria, Ill.) got a hand on Volpert's try to thwart Millikin.
 
Each team had one more legitimate scoring chance in the opening half. Pippin had his 4th-and-8 pass attempt from the Viking 18-yard line fall incomplete early in the second quarter and Frasco bobbled the snap on a 4th-and-1 Augustana opportunity at the Millikin five midway through the period.
 
Things changed quickly as the snow began to fall in the second half. After a Big Blue fumble on the opening possession, the teams traded touchdowns, with senior Benjamin Hodges (St. Charles North HS, Elburn, Ill.) scoring from six yards out and Millikin answering with a 29-yard Pippin to Brady Cufaude touchdown pass. Both point after attempts failed and the Vikings led 16-6 with 6:43 to play in the third.
 
That's when the flood gates opened. Frasco's 18-yard scamper and Fitzgerald's two-point conversion made it 24-6. Then, when the Big Blue was forced to punt on its next possession, Fitzgerald avoided the initial tackler and worked his way up the left sideline before cutting back across the field and finishing off a 73-yard touchdown return. Murray added the PAT and it was 31-6 with 1:43 left in the third.
 
It took just two plays on their next possession for the Vikings to score again. Frasco found senior Eric Josupait (Waubonsie Valley HS, Aurora, Ill.) behind the Millikin secondary for a 52-yard scoring strike. After a Millikin three-and-out, Frasco capped another two-play drive with a 53-yard touchdown run and the lead was 45-6 with 10:49 remaining.
 
The final two scores came on a four-yard Chris Salazar (Providence Catholic HS, Plainfield, Ill.)-to-Antonio Owens (Naperville North HS, Chicago, Ill.) shovel pass and a nine-yard touchdown run by freshman Austin Chausse (Nokomis HS, Nokomis, Ill.).
 
Frasco had a big day in just over three quarters of action. He rushed for 104 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries and completed 13 of 19 pass attempts for 236 yards and another score. Josupait was Augustana's leading receiver with five catches for 101 yards and a touchdown.
 
Sophomore linebacker Jack Asquini (Buffalo Grove HS, Arlington Heights, Ill.) had a team-high 13 tackles and junior Brandon Stiers (Deer Creek-Mackinaw HS, Mackinaw, Ill.) added 11, including three for loss and two sacks to go along with a fumble recovery. Senior safety Ben Fornek (Batavia HS, Batavia, Ill.) finished with nine tackles and four pass break-ups and Goshorn added another interception and 29-yard return.
 
In addition to Fornek, Goshorn, Hodges, Josupait, Murray and Owens, these seniors were also recognized on Saturday: Thomas Enke (Millard West HS, Omaha, Neb.) (six tackles, 1½ for loss, one sack), Greg Ferguson (Plainfield South HS, Plainfield, Ill.), Kyle Frake (Central HS, Clifton, Ill.) (two catches, 46 yards), Luke Kowalczyk (La Salle-Peru HS, Peru, Ill.), Jon Losen (Morton HS, Morton, Ill.), Tim Maroder (Burlington Central HS, Elgin, Ill.) (six tackles, two pass break-ups), Sean McIntyre (Genoa-Kingston HS, Genoa, Ill.), Anthony Roome (Geneseo HS, Geneseo, Ill.), Roman Shepard (Assumption HS, Rock Island, Ill.) (one reception for 12 yards), Nick Stone (Lyons Township HS, LaGrange, Ill.), Justin Dyche (Marquette Academy, Ottawa, Ill.) (two tackles), Jacob Smith (Mt. Zion HS, Mt. Zion, Ill.), Jacob Puls (East Dubuque HS, East Dubuque, Ill.) (fumble recovery), Jared Puls (East Dubuque HS, East Dubuque, Ill.) (two tackles) and Martin Riva (La Salle-Peru HS, Oglesby, Ill.).