Box Score

CHICAGO, Ill. – A dominating performance on both sides of the ball helped propel Augustana to a 45-7 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin victory over North Park on Saturday, October 31 at the Holmgren Complex in Chicago. The Vikings were clicking on all cylinders and built a 24-0 lead at half-time and never faltered in winning for the third time this season.
 
Senior quarterback Sam Frasco (Prospect HS, Mt. Prospect, Ill.) was the ring-leader on offense as he accounted for 367 yards of total offense and had a part in all six of Augustana's touchdowns. Not to be lost in the lopsided win, however, is the performance of the defense, which limited North Park to just 146 yards of total offense.
 
The Vikings wasted no time in this contest as they took the opening kickoff and marched 68 yards on six plays with the payoff coming when Frasco hit freshman Justin Pope (Whale Branch HS, Beaufort, S.C.) with a two-yard scoring toss on a third and goal situation. Frasco's 49-yard run on the first play from scrimmage set the tone for the drive, and ultimately for the day.
 
Augustana forced a turnover on the ensuing kickoff when North Park returner John Wilkinson coughed up the football and senior Josh Symbal (Huntley HS, Huntley, Ill.) fell on it at the North Park 34. Eventually the drive resulted in three points when freshman Jacob Stytz (Minooka HS, Channahon, Ill.) drilled a 24 yard field goal. That made the score 10-0 with just over five minutes gone in the game and North Park had yet to run a play from scrimmage.
 
The Augustana defense turned the hosts away on a fourth and five situation from the Viking 26 and Frasco put the finishing touches on the drive that took 6:18 and lasted through the end of the first and the beginning of the second periods. He scored on a five-yard run and Stytz was perfect with the extra point to make it 17-0 with 13:15 left before halftime.
 
After forcing a North Park punt, thanks to three straight incompletions once North Park reached the Vikings' 31, Augustana drove 80 yards in eight plays with Frasco scampering 20 yards for the touchdown. Stytz was again good on the extra point and with 4:19 before halftime the score was 24-0.
 
That's the way the score would stay until midway through the third quarter when Frasco got loose again and ran 35 yards for a touchdown with 6:47 left in the third. Frasco hit junior Danny Lattner (Oak Park Fenwick HS, Riverside, Ill.) with a 27-yard pass on the play just before Frasco's scoring jaunt. Stytz connected on the extra point to make the lead 31-0.
 
Frasco ran 11 yards for a touchdown with just :15 showing in the third quarter to cap a 10-play, 78-yard drive to make it 38-0. His 20-yard pass to freshman Ryan Hennessy (Oswego HS, Oswego, Ill.) was the big play on the drive.
 
North Park finally got on the board with 11:45 left in the game on a 50 yard touchdown pass from quarterback T.D. Conway to Devin Childress to cut the lead to 38-7.
 
Augustana had the answer, however and once again it was Frasco. He scored on a 23-yard run just one play after hitting Lattner for 26 yards on a third and three situation. After Stytz nailed the extra point the score was 45-7 with 5:35 to play and that is the way the game would end.
 
Frasco rushed for 189 yards on 15 attempts--an average of 12.6 per carry--and tied a school record with five rushing touchdowns. He also was 13 of 15 in the passing department for 178 yards and one touchdown. The 367 yards of total offense give him 2,741 on the season, breaking David Lee's previous school record of 2,665. He got some help in the running game from freshman Ryan Pitra (Geneseo HS, Geneseo, Ill.), who had 113 yards on 27 attempts.
 
Hennessy led the receivers with five catches for 76 yards, while Lattner had four receptions for 79 yards.
 
It would be hard to overlook the accomplishment of the Viking defense on the day, as it limited North Park to only 30 yards rushing on 22 attempts. Conway was just 11 of 29 in the passing department for 116 yards and 50 of those came on the touchdowns to Childress. He was also sacked twice.
 
Junior linebacker Jack Asquini (Buffalo Grove HS, Arlington Heights, Ill.) led the defense with 16 total tackles (five solo and 11 assists) with three tackles for loss. Sophomore Keith King, Jr. (Peoria Richwoods HS, Peoria, Ill.) helped out with five total tackles, two of which were quarterback sacks for 18 yards.
 
Augustana is now 3-5 on the season and 2-3 in the CCIW while North Park falls to 2-6 and 1-4. The Vikings host North Central on Saturday, November 7 at 1:00 p.m. at Lindberg Stadium.