ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – This past Saturday marked Senior Day at Lindberg Stadium for the 2015 Augustana football team. A dozen seniors were recognized before the Vikings' game against 16th-ranked North Central. The visiting Cardinals won the contest 27-10. Heading into the final week of the season, Augustana is 3-6 overall and 2-4 in the CCIW. The Vikings travel to Decatur, Illinois on Saturday, November 14 to face Millikin in a 1:00 p.m. tilt.
Sam Frasco (Prospect HS, Mt. Prospect, Ill.), one of the 12 seniors honored Saturday, only played three series before leaving with an injury. He'll head into the final game of his career 310 yards shy of Ken Anderson's school record for career total offense. Another senior,
Chris Salazar (Providence Catholic HS, Plainfield, Ill.), came on in relief against North Central and completed 17 of 39 pass attempts for 185 yards. Classmate
Sean Fitzgerald (Providence Catholic HS, Manhattan, Ill.) grabbed a career-high nine passes. For the season, Fitzgerald has 50 catches (tied for second-most in school history) for 475 yards and six touchdowns. With one game to play, he's 10 receptions away from Corbett Ball's school record set in 2010. With 95 career catches, he's currently fourth in school history.
Defensively, junior linebacker
Jack Asquini (Buffalo Grove HS, Arlington Heights, Ill.) hit the 100 tackle mark with 12 stops Saturday. Senior end
Brandon Stiers (Deer Creek Mackinaw HS, Mackinaw, Ill.) had seven tackles, including three for loss and two sacks. He leads the Vikings with 11½ tackles for loss and three sacks this year.
Others seniors honored Saturday, in addition to Frasco, Salazar, Fitzgerald and Stiers, were
Frank Kalble (Hersey HS, Arlington Heights, Ill.),
Jeremy Lensing (Peotone HS, Manhattan, Ill.),
Kyle Frake (Central HS, Clifton, Ill.),
Tyler Padera (
Glenbard South HS, Glen Ellyn, Ill.),
Shavaun Grant (Urban Prep, Chicago, Ill.),
Josh Symbal (Huntley HS, Huntley, Ill.),
Maliek Combs (Smoky Hill HS, Aurora, Colo.) and
Robert French (St. Edward HS, Elgin, Ill.).
This Saturday, Augustana will face a Millikin outfit that is 2-7 overall and 1-5 in the CCIW. Coach Patrick Etherton's Big Blue dropped a 15-14 decision at Elmhurst this past Saturday.
Millikin averages 18.4 points and 282.6 yards (79.9 rushing, 202.7 passing) of total offense per game and allows averages of 32.1 and 414.2, respectively. Big Blue opponents have rushed for 205.1 yards per outing and passed for 209.1.
Individually, Brady Cufaude is the team's top weapon. The senior wide receiver—a second team All-CCIW selection last year—has 47 receptions for 575 yards and four touchdowns. At quarterback, Nick Pippin is listed as the starter, but Nicco Stepina played the entire game against Elmhurst and is 130 of 215 (60.5%) for 1,496 yards and 11 touchdowns this year. He's been intercepted eight times. Andre Colvin (85 carries for 266 yards and one touchdown) and Patrick Ganley (60-203-0) are Millikin's leading rushers.
Safety Chase Robbins leads the Big Blue defense with 59 tackles. End Adam Rosner has team highs of 11½ tackles for loss and three sacks. Demetreeus Loper's three interceptions and four pass break-ups are team highs.
SERIES RECORD... Augustana leads Millikin 43-31 with one tie.
| YEAR | RESULT (Running Record) | SITE | | YEAR | RESULT (Running Record) | SITE | |
| 1920 | MIL 7, AUG 0 (0-1) | Away | | 1979 | MIL 16, AUG 7 (15-23-1) | Home |
| 1921 | MIL 28, AUG 0 (0-2) | Home | | 1980 | MIL 12, AUG 8 (15-24-1) | Away |
| 1922 | MIL 18, AUG 0 (0-3 | Away | | 1981 | AUG 31, MIL 0 (16-24-1) | Home |
| 1923 | AUG 3, MIL 2 (1-3) | Home | | 1982 | AUG 49, MIL 0 (17-24-1) | Away |
| 1924 | MIL 20, AUG 0 (1-4) | Away | | 1983 | AUG 19, MIL 16 (18-24-1) | Home |
| 1925 | MIL20, AUG 7 (1-5) | Home | | 1984 | AUG 19, MIL 16 (19-24-1) | Away |
| 1926 | MIL 34, AUG 0 (1-6) | Away | | 1985 | AUG 9, MIL 3 (20-24-1) | Home |
| 1936 | AUG 7, MIL 0 (2-6) | NA | | 1986 | AUG 12, MIL 2 (21-24-1) | Away |
| 1937 | AUG 7, MIL 0 (3-6) | NA | | 1987 | AUG 48, MIL14 ( 22-24-1) | Home |
| 1948 | MIL 7, AUG 0 (3-7) | Away | | 1988 | AUG 14, MIL12 (23-24-1) | Away |
| 1950 | MIL 20, AUG 0 (3-8) | Home | | 1989 | MIL33, AUG 8 (23-25-1) | Home |
| 1951 | MIL 12, AUG 0 (3-8) | Away | | 1989 | *MIL 21, AUG 12 (23-26-1) | Away |
| 1953 | AUG 32, MIL 12 (4-9) | Home | | | *-NCAA Division Playoffs | |
| 1954 | MIL 31, AUG 6 (4-10) | Away | | 1990 | AUG 17, MIL12 (24-26-1) | Away |
| 1955 | MIL 27, AUG 6 (4-11) | Home | | 1991 | AUG 26, MIL 0 (25-26-1) | Home |
| 1956 | MIL 30, AUG 26 (4-12) | Away | | 1992 | AUG 13, MIL 3 (26-26-1) | Away |
| 1957 | MIL 14, AUG 6 (4-13) | Home | | 1993 | AUG 54, MIL 30 (27-26-1) | Home |
| 1958 | MIL 20, AUG 6 (4-14) | Away | | 1994 | MIL 21, AUG 12 (27-27-1) | Away |
| 1959 | AUG 14, MIL 12 (5-14) | Home | | 1995 | AUG 36, MIL 0 (28-27-1) | Home |
| 1960 | MIL 38, AUG 14 (5-15) | Away | | 1996 | AUG 27, MIL 0 (29-27-1) | Away |
| 1961 | MIL 39, AUG 7 (5-16) | Home | | 1997 | AUG 18, MIL 0 (30-27-1) | Home |
| 1962 | AUG 14, MIL 13 (6-16) | Away | | 1998 | MIL 27, AUG 21 (30-28-1) | Away |
| 1963 | AUG 19, MIL 14 (7-16) | Home | | 1999 | MIL 20, AUG 7 (30-29-1) | Home |
| 1964 | AUG 17, MIL 14 (8-16) | Away | | 2000 | MIL 42, AUG 21 (30-30-1) | Away |
| 1965 | AUG 7, MIL 7 – tie (8-16-1) | Home | | 2001 | AUG 21, MIL 17 (31-30-1) | Home |
| 1966 | AUG 13, MMIL 7 (9-16-1) | Away | | 2002 | AUG 41, MIL 14 (32-30-1) | Home |
| 1967 | AUG 20, MIL 14 (10-14-1) | Home | | 2003 | AUG 24, MIL 22 (33-30-1) | Away |
| 1968 | AUG 20, MIL 14 (10-16-1) | Away | | 2004 | AUG 24, MIL 17 (34-30-1) | Home |
| 1969 | AUG 17, MIL 0 (12-16-1) | Home | | 2005 | AUG 23, MIL 0 (35-30-1) | Away |
| 1970 | MIL 20, AUG 10 (12-17-1) | Away | | 2006 | AUG 34, MIL 23 (36-30-1) | Away |
| 1971 | AUG 20, MIL 0 (13-17-1) | Home | | 2007 | AUG 44, MIL 7 (37-30-1) | Home |
| 1972 | MIL 24, AUG 7 (13-18-1) | Away | | 2008 | AUG 34, MIL 13 (38-30-1) | Home |
| 1973 | AUG 56, MIL 41 (14-18-1) | Home | | 2009 | AUG 42, MIL 13 (39-30-1) | Away |
| 1974 | MIL 35, AUG 28 (14-19-1) | Away | | 2010 | AUG 28, MIL 24 (40-30-1) | Away |
| 1975 | AUG 21,MIL 20 (15-19-1) | Home | | 2011 | MIL 30, AUG 27 (40-31-1) | Home |
| 1976 | MIL 19 AUG 7 (15-20-1) | Away | | 2012 | AUG 24. MIL 14 (41-31-1) | Home |
| 1977 | MIL 17, AUG 14 (15-21-1) | Home | | 2013 | AUG 47, MIL 19 (42-31-1) | Away |
| 1978 | MIL 38, AUG 7 (15-22-1) | Away | | 2014 | AUG 59, MIL 6 (43-31-1) | Home |
LAST YEAR'S MEETING... 11/15/14—AUGUSTANA 59, MILLIKIN 6 Second-half explosion keys 59-6 Senior Day win over Millikin 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.).
LAST WEEK... 11/07/15—NORTH CENTRAL 27, AUGUSTANA 10 Vikings fall 27-10 to 16th-ranked North Central on Senior Day ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – North Central—ranked 16th in the latest D3football.com Top 25—spoiled Senior Day at Lindberg Stadium Saturday, handing Augustana a 27-10 defeat. The Vikings drop to 3-6 overall and 2-4 in the CCIW, while the Cardinals improved to 6-3 on the season and 5-1 in the league.
After punts on the first three possessions of the game, North Central threatened first, driving to the Augustana 26-yard line midway through the first period. However, on first down, quarterback Justin Hunniford coughed up the ball and sophomore
Grant Burke (Hersey HS, Arlington Heights, Ill.) fell on it to give the Vikings possession.
The hosts went three-and-out on the ensuing possession and to make matters worse, lost the services of record-setting quarterback
Sam Frasco (Prospect HS, Mt. Prospect, Ill.) to an injury.
Following Augustana's third punt of the opening period, the Cardinals put together the game's first scoring drive. A 38-yard Austin Breunig touchdown run capped a four-play 58-yard march that used up just 1:22. Dom Zavaglia's point after made it 7-0.
The visitors used a 97-yard drive to go up 14-0 early in the second quarter. The march was kept alive by a 12-yard fake punt run by Zavaglia on fourth-and-two from the North Central 11. Hunniford's two-yard run finished the drive, which lasted 12 plays and took 5:31 off the clock.
A second fake punt led to the Vikings' first score. Facing another fourth-and-two from his own 28, Zavaglia attempted a pass, but freshman
Ryan Hennessy (Oswego HS, Oswego, Ill.) came up with the interception to set Augustana up at the Cardinal 20-yard line. After three plays netted minus five yards, sophomore kicker
Jacob Stytz (Minooka HS, Channahon, Ill.) came on and nailed a 42-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 14-3.
North Central's Tyler Oakley bobbled
Jeremy Lensing's
(Peotone HS, Manhattan, Ill.) ensuing kickoff at the goal line, but picked it up and busted off a 70-yard return. Lensing was able to slow him up enough for
Travon Aldridge (Rock Island HS, Rock Island, Ill.) to make a touchdown-saving tackle from behind. However, six plays later the Cardinals had their touchdown on an 11-yard Hunniford to Jeremy Niklos scoring strike. The visitors would take a 21-3 lead to intermission.
On the first possession of the second half, Hunniford had a ball tipped at the line of scrimmage and freshman
Dario Ingardona (Rockford Lutheran HS, Cherry Valley, Ill.) made a diving interception at midfield. The Vikings took advantage, going 50 yards in seven plays for their first touchdown. The drive started with Hennessy making a diving grab of a
Chris Salazar (Providence Catholic HS, Plainfield, Ill.) pass for a 25-yard gain. It ended with freshman
Ryan Pitra (Geneseo HS, Geneseo, Ill.) taking an option pitch from Salazar three yards into the end zone. Stytz's point-after made it 21-10.
After a missed Cardinal field goal, Augustana had a chance to cut into the lead further, but an interception by Kevin Schroeder regained possession for North Central at the Viking 26. Five plays later, quarterback Dylan Warden scored on a 10-yard run to give his team a 27-10 lead. Zavaglia's extra point attempt was blocked.
The Vikings' last gasp came late in the third quarter. A 31-yard Salazar-to-Hennessy completion got things started and Augustana eventually reached the North Central 12 before three straight incompletions ended the drive on downs. The Cardinals dominated time of possession in the final period 11:46 to 3:14 to maintain the 27-10 advantage until the final gun.
In addition to Frasco, Salazar and Lensing, other Viking seniors honored Saturday included
Frank Kalble (Hersey HS, Arlington Heights, Ill.),
Brandon Stiers (Deer Creek Mackinaw HS, Mackinaw, Ill.),
Sean Fitzgerald (Providence Catholic HS, Manhattan, Ill.),
Kyle Frake (Central HS, Clifton, Ill.),
Tyler Padera (
Glenbard South HS, Glen Ellyn, Ill.),
Shavaun Grant (Urban Prep, Chicago, Ill.),
Josh Symbal (Huntley HS, Huntley, Ill.),
Maliek Combs (Smoky Hill HS, Aurora, Colo.) and
Robert French (St. Edward HS, Elgin, Ill.).
Augustana wraps up the 2015 season on Saturday, November 14. The Vikings will travel to Decatur, Illinois to face Millikin. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
2015 AUGUSTANA VIKINGS FOOTBALL SCHEDULE/RESULTS| DATE | OPPONENT | SITE | TIME/SCORE |
| September 5 | Mount St. Joseph (Austin E. Knowlton Classic) | HOME | W, 42-39 |
| September 12 | Albion (Family Weekend) | HOME | L, 49-60 |
| September 19 | Loras | Dubuque, Iowa | L, 52-56 |
| October 3 | *Elmhurst | HOME | W, 9-3 |
| October 10 | *Wheaton | Wheaton, Ill. | L, 14-31 |
| October 17 | *Illinois Wesleyan (Homecoming) | HOME | L, 7-21 |
| October 24 | *Carthage | HOME | L, 27-39 |
| October 31 | *North Park | Chicago, Ill. | W, 45-7 |
| November 7 | *North Central (Senior Day) | HOME | L, 10-27 |
| November 14 | *Millikin | Decatur, Ill. | 1:00 p.m. |
* - College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin game
2015 CCIW STANDINGS| School | CCIW | Overall |
| Wheaton | 6-0 | 9-0 |
| North Central | 5-1 | 6-3 |
| Illinois Wesleyan | 4-2 | 7-2 |
| Carthage | 4-2 | 5-4 |
| AUGUSTANA | 2-4 | 3-6 |
| Elmhurst | 1-5 | 4-5 |
| Millikin | 1-5 | 2-7 |
| North Park | 1-5 | 2-7 |
AUGUSTANA at Millikin, 1:00 p.m.
Illinois Wesleyan at North Park, 1:00 p.m.
Carthage at Wheaton, 1:00 p.m.
was introduced as the 19th head coach in the storied history of Augustana football on January 9, 2015. In 15 seasons as the head football coach at Monmouth College in Monmouth, Illinois, Bell fashioned a 112-44 (.718) overall record. During his tenure at Monmouth, his teams won four Midwest Conference championships (2005, 2008, 2009, 2011) and finished second six times. Bell is a 1992 graduate of Bemidji State University with a degree in physical education.
