ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Augustana went on the road for the first time this past Saturday and absorbed its first loss of the season, a 21-17 setback to an Illinois Wesleyan outfit that was ranked 15th in the nation coming into the season. The Vikings, 2-1 on the year and 1-1 in the CCIW, host Millikin on Saturday, October 5 as part of Homecoming festivities.
 
Senior quarterback Zachary Fuller (St. Patrick HS, Schiller Park, Ill.) threw for a career-best 348 yards at IWU. Through three games, Fuller has completed 59 of 89 passes (66.3%) for 780 yards and 10 touchdowns, with just one interception. His efficiency rating of 174.74 ranks second in the CCIW.
 
The passing attack has been very balanced. Fuller's 10 touchdown throws have gone to six different receivers and five Vikings have caught at least eight passes. Max Uranich (La Salle-Peru HS, La Salle, Ill.) has a team-high 14 receptions for 168 yards and a touchdown, while senior Tom Dolis (Notre Dame HS, Chicago, Ill.) leads in receiving yards with 231 on 12 catches. Dolis also shares the lead in TD grabs with classmate Ethan Jennings (Notre Dame HS, Chicago, Ill.) (11-142-3).
 
Senior Bobby Jarosz (Prospect HS, Mount Prospect, Ill.) has paced the ground game with 289 yards and two touchdowns on 60 carries.
 
Senior linebacker Luke Sawicki (Neuqua Valley HS, Naperville, Ill.) continues to lead Augustana in solo (12), assisted (13) and total (25) tackles, as well as tackles for loss (four). Junior safety John Kappel (Wheeling HS, Wheeling, Ill.), is second on the team with 20 tackles and leads with three interceptions. Seniors Luke Phelan (Joliet Catholic HS, Shorewood, Ill.) and J.J. Cervino (Libertyville HS, Libertyville, Ill.) each have two interceptions for a defensive unit that has forced nine turnovers through three contests.
 
Millikin will also bring records of 2-1 overall and 1-1 in the CCIW into Lindberg Stadium this Saturday. After wins over MIAA favorite Hope (27-21) and North Park (41-7), the Big Blue fell 62-0 to 11th-ranked Wheaton this past week.
 
Coach Dan Gritti's offense features 2018 first team All-CCIW receiver Jordan Smith. Smith has caught 14 passes for 380 yards and three touchdowns this year and is averaging a whopping 27.1 yards per catch. Quarterback Cal Pohrte has completed 47.7% of his passes for 735 and four touchdowns, with three interceptions. Running back Ladavion Severado has rushed for 243 yards and a touchdown on 36 carries, an average of 6.8 yards per attempt. 6', 340-pound guard Jackson Delfosse, a second team All-CCIW pick last year, anchors the offensive line. Millikin averages 423.0 total yards per game (174.0 rushing and 249.0 passing).
 
Linebackers Matthew Brown and Jequan Harrell have been the Big Blue's leaders on defense. Brown has a team high 26 tackles (14 solo, 12 assisted), with Harrell (14-10-24) right behind. Harrell also has team highs in tackles for loss (6½) and sacks (two). David Jones shares the team lead with 14 solo stops and has three pass breakups and a forced fumble. The Millikin defense has allowed an average of 394.7 yards per game, 163.7 on the ground and 231.0 through the air.
 
The Vikings lead the all-time series 44-34-1. Millikin has won the last three meetings, with the last two coming by identical 28-27 scores.
 
 
09/28/19—ILLINOIS WESLEYAN 21, AUGUSTANA 17
 
IWU hands Vikings first loss
 
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – A potential 90-yard, game-winning drive came up just short for Augustana Saturday, as Illinois Wesleyan hung on for a 21-17 win at Tucci Stadium. The Vikings suffered their first loss in three games this year and fell to 1-1 in the CCIW. The host Titans improved to 1-2 overall and 1-1 in the conference.
 
Taking over at his own 10-yard line with 2:05 remaining after an IWU punt, quarterback Zachary Fuller (St. Patrick HS, Schiller Park, Ill.) led Augustana 80 yards in 12 plays to reach the Titan 10. The senior connected on six passes, including two to Max Uranich (La Salle-Peru HS., La Salle, Ill.) for 18 and 15 yards and his final completion of the drive, to Ethan Jennings (Notre Dame HS, Chicago, Ill.) for 18 yards down to the 10. With three seconds showing on the clock, Fuller threw to Bobby Jarosz (Prospect HS, Mt. Prospect, Ill.) on the right side, short of the end zone, but the ball slipped through Jarosz's hands as the final horn sounded.
 
Both teams missed scoring opportunities early. The Titans drove to the Viking four on the game's first possession, but had a 21-yard field goal try go wide right. Augustana drove to the Wesleyan 32 before being stopped on downs. Two plays later, Daniel Tjaden (Assumption HS, Bettendorf, Iowa) sacked Titan quarterback Brandon Bauer and stripped him of the ball. Matt Payton (Kaneland HS, Sugar Grove, Ill.) was there to fall on it at the IWU 23. The Vikings reached the 14-yard line, but were again stopped on downs.
 
Wesleyan broke through for the game's first score late in the first quarter. Bauer hit Jack Healy with a 21-yard touchdown pass, capping a 59-yard, eight-play drive. Jonathan Rukujzo's kick made it 7-0. Augustana answered on the ensuing possession, going 76 yards in 10 plays, with Fuller hitting Patrick Byrne (St. Patrick HS, Chicago, Ill.) with a six-yard scoring strike. Owen Ennis' (Evanston HS, Evanston, Ill.) conversion tied it at 13:40 of the second quarter.
 
A 12-yard Bauer-to-Dean Zigulich touchdown pass and a 19-yard Ennis field goal sent the teams to the locker room with the Titans on top 14-10.
 
The biggest play of the day occurred on the opening possession of the second half, when Christopher Kosinski blocked a Justin Wehr (Bettendorf HS, Bettendorf, Iowa) punt and IWU teammate Robert Neidballa carried it 20 yards to the end zone. Rukujzo's PAT made it 21-10 two minutes into the third quarter.
 
A 29-yard John Kappel (Wheeling HS, Wheeling, Ill.) punt return set up the Vikings' next score. Starting at the Wesleyan 26, it took just three plays, with Fuller hitting Jennings for 21 yards and a touchdown to make it 21-17 with 5:25 left in the third.
 
It looked like the hosts would answer again, but J.J. Cervino (Libertyville HS, Libertyville, Ill.) intercepted a Bauer throw at the goal line and returned it 35 yards. Augustana responded by driving to the Titan 21 before again being stopped on downs. The Vikings returned the favor when IWU reached the Augustana 25 on the next possession. The teams then traded punts, setting the stage for Vikings' final march.
 
Fuller completed 26 of 45 passes for a career-high 348 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. He spread the wealth. Uranich had seven grabs for 76 yards, while Tom Dolis (Notre Dame HS, Chicago, Ill.), Jarosz, Jennings and Byrne had five catches apiece. Augustana found the going tough on the ground. It took 25 carries for Jarosz to net 68 yards.
 
With the exception of a 50-yard Bauer run on the third play of the game, the Viking defense limited IWU to 57 yards on 29 rushes. Bauer was 22 of 38 through the air for 247 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Zach Walsh was his most frequent target with six catches for 82 yards. Luke Phelan (Joliet Catholic HS, Shorewood, Ill.) (12), Cervino (11) and David Lane (Civic Memorial HS, Bethalto, Ill.) (10) led the Vikings in tackles and Zach Stewart (Crown Point HS, Crown Point, Ind.) recorded four pass breakups.
 
On Saturday, October 5, Coach Steve Bell's outfit is back at Lindberg Stadium, hosting Millikin as part of Homecoming festivities. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
 
 
2019 AUGUSTANA VIKINGS FOOTBALL SCHEDULE/RESULTS

DATE	OPPONENT		SITE	TIME/SCORE
September 7	Coe	Knowlton Kickoff Classic	HOME	W, 41-3
September 21	Elmhurst*	Family Weekend	HOME	W, 55-13
September 28	Illinois Wesleyan*		Bloomington, Ill.	L, 17-21
October 5	Millikin*	Homecoming	HOME	1:00 p.m.
October 12	North Central*		Naperville, Ill.	1:00 p.m.
October 19	North Park*		HOME	1:00 p.m.
October 26	Wheaton*		Wheaton, Ill.	1:00 p.m.
November 2	Washington U.*		St. Louis, Mo.	1:00 p.m.
November 9	Carroll*	Senior Day	HOME	1:00 p.m.
November 16	Carthage*		Kenosha, Wis.	1:00 p.m.

* - College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin game
 
 
2019 CCIW STANDINGS

School	CCIW	Overall
North Central	2-0	3-0
Wheaton	2-0	3-0
AUGUSTANA	1-1	2-1
Millikin	1-1	2-1
Washington U.	1-1	2-1
Carthage	1-1	1-2
Elmhurst	1-1	1-2
Illinois Wesleyan	1-1	1-2
Carroll	0-2	1-2
North Park	0-2	0-3