Box Score

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.