Box Score

NAPERVILLE, Ill. – Dylan Warden threw five touchdown passes Saturday to lead 20th-ranked North Central to a 43-14 win over Augustana at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium. The Vikings fall to 4-5 overall and 3-3 in the CCIW, while the Cardinals improve to 7-2 this season and 5-1 in the league.
 
The hosts gave Augustana a couple of early opportunities. On the game's second play from scrimmage, sophomore linebacker Jack Asquini (Buffalo Grove HS, Arlington Heights, Ill.) separated running back Oshayne Brown from the ball. Senior defensive end Sean McIntyre (Genoa-Kingston HS, Genoa, Ill.) was there to make the recovery and the Vikings were in business at the North Central 25-yard line. However, three Brandon Price (Providence Catholic HS, Plainfield, Ill.) rushes yielded just three yards and Conner Murray's (Conifer HS, Morrison, Colo.) 39-yard field goal attempt hooked wide left as Augustana came away empty.
 
After Warden's first touchdown pass—a 15-yarder to Peter Sorenson—and a 27-yard touchdown run by Matt Randolph gave the Cardinals a 13-0 first-quarter lead, the Vikings set themselves up in good field position again early in the second quarter. Sophomore linebacker Erik Johnson (Warren HS, Gurnee, Ill.) stopped a fourth-and-one Warden keeper on the first play of the period and Augustana took over at the North Central 41. Sam Frasco (Prospect HS, Mt. Prospect, Ill.) was eventually sacked on a fourth-and-five pass attempt and the Cardinals took over on downs.
 
Warden hit Sorenson for a 12-yard touchdown and connected with Ryan Kuhl from 31 yards out to give the hosts a 26-0 lead midway through the second period before the Vikings put together a crisp march to get on the board.  Frasco and senior running back Benjamin Hodges (St. Charles North HS, Elburn, Ill.) had runs of 19 and 10 yards, respectively, to start the drive and Frasco then hit senior Kyle Frake (Central HS, Clifton, Ill.) for a 38-yard completion to the Cardinal eight-yard line. Two plays later, sophomore wide out Danny Lattner (Fenwick HS, Riverside, Ill.) went into the end zone from five yards out on a reverse. Murray's point after made it 26-7.
 
North Central responded with a nine-play, 62-yard drive to go up 33-7. Warden and Sorenson hooked up for their third touchdown of the half—a two-yard completion—to cap things off. Augustana drove to the Cardinal 25 before the first half clock ran out.
 
Kuhl's 53-yard touchdown reception from Warden with 6:30 left in the third quarter gave North Central a 40-7 lead and Dom Zavaglia's 36-yard field goal early in the fourth made it 43-7.
 
The Vikings closed out the scoring with Lattner's second rushing touchdown of the day, a four-yarder with 2:56 remaining. Frasco rushed six times for 36 yards and completed four of six passes on the 15-play, 55-yard march.
 
Frasco finished the day with 74 rushing yards on 17 attempts and 79 passing yards on nine of 15 completions. Frake had six catches for 74 yards. Johnson led the Vikings defensively with 12 tackles, including two for loss. Warden was 14 for 18 through the air for 196 yards and five touchdowns. Brown bounced back from his early fumble to rush for 127 yards on 20 carries.
 
Augustana closes the 2014 season on Saturday, November 15. The Vikings host Millikin at Lindberg Stadium with kickoff scheduled for 1:00 p.m.