Box Score

NAPERVILLE, Ill. – Austin Breunig rushed for 114 yards and three touchdowns and Broc Rutter threw for 286 yards and three scores Saturday to lead fourth-ranked North Central to a 54-2 win over Augustana at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium. The Homecoming win lifted the Cardinals to 6-1 on the season and 4-1 in the CCIW, while the Vikings dropped to 1-7 overall and 1-5 in the league.
 
The Augustana defense forced a three-and-out on the opening possession of the game and following a North Central punt, Coach Steve Bell's club took over at its own 28. For the first time in five games, the Vikings' first drive did not yield a touchdown, as the Cardinal defense forced a three-and-out as well.
 
Sophomore Luke Sawicki (Neuqua Valley HS, Naperville, Ill.) forced a North Central fumble on the next possession and junior Dario Ingardona (Rockford Lutheran HS, Cherry Valley, Ill.) recovered at the Augustana one yard-line. However, after getting a first down via a Cardinal penalty, the Vikings were again forced to punt.
 
The hosts went 63 yards in eight plays for the game's first score. Breunig took it in form six yards out and Liam Crotty's kick made it 7-0 with 5:37 left in the first quarter.
 
A 27-yard Rutter-to-Michael Sfikas touchdown pass made it 14-0 early in the second quarter and North Central added three touchdowns in the final 4:38 of the half. Breunig scored on a five-yard run and Rutter connected with Jake Beesley and Jalen Dennis on scoring strikes of 35 and 18 yards, respectively and the Cardinals took a 34-0 lead to the halftime break.
 
A Breunig eight-yard touchdown run made it 41-0 with 3:08 left in the third quarter.
 
Zane Lodico had a four-yard scoring run early in the fourth quarter and Alec Fidan closed the scoring with a 56-yard touchdown run win 2:20 left in the game. Crotty's point after accounted for the final. Augustana's points came on a safety with 8:35 to play.
 
For the Vikings, junior Luke Bleyer (Williamsville HS, Springfield, Ill.) completed 10 of 20 passes for 65 yards and was intercepted twice. Classmate Ryan Hennessy (Oswego HS, Oswego, Ill.) had five catches for 29 yards. Junior Ryan Pitra (Geneseo HS, Geneso, Ill.) and senior Austin Chausse (Nokomis HS, Nokomis, Ill.) led the ground game. Each carried four times for 31 and 28 yards, respectively.
 
Sawicki had seven solo and nine total tackles to lead the Augustana defense.
 
On Saturday, October 28, Coach Steve Bell's squad will host North Park at 1:00 p.m. It will be Senior Day at Lindberg Stadium.