ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Senior defensive end Xavier Holley (Bettendorf HS, Davenport, Iowa) recorded five sacks and 7½ tackles for loss Saturday as Augustana defeated Millikin 40-14 on Homecoming at Lindberg Stadium. The contest was delayed 2½ hours by lightning, but the outcome was worth the wait, as the Vikings improved to 3-1 on the season and 2-1 in the CCIW. The Big Blue dropped to 2-2 overall and 1-2 in the league.
 
After forcing a Millikin punt on the game's opening series, Augustana responded with a 10-play, 78-yard touchdown drive to take the lead. Senior Bobby Jarosz (Prospect HS, Mt. Prospect, Ill.) carried three times for 39 yards and his 24-yard burst around the right side set up Zachary Fuller's (St. Patrick HS, Schiller Park, Ill.) one-yard touchdown sneak. Owen Ennis' (Evanston HS, Evanston, Ill.) point after made it 7-0.
 
A John Kappel (Wheeling HS, Wheeling, Ill.) interception and 26-yard return on the Big Blue's next possession put the Vikings back in business at the Millikin 20. Jarosz had consecutive carries of eight and nine yards to give his team first-and-goal at the three, but Millikin's defense stiffened and Augustana settled for a 25-yard Ennis field goal and a 10-0 lead.
 
The visitors answered with a 15-play, 81-yard march that reached the Vikings two-yard line. However, on third and fourth downs, linebacker Luke Sawicki (Neuqua Valley HS, Naperville, Ill.) made two straight stops on rushes by quarterback Cal Pohrte to keep the Big Blue off the board.
 
After the teams traded two more empty possessions each, Augustana took over at its own 26 with 3:53 left in the first half. 10 plays later, the Vikings were in the end zone, with Fuller hitting Tom Dolis (Notre Dame HS, Chicago, Ill.) from 33 yards out for the score. The point after failed and Coach Steve Bell's crew took a 16-0 lead to intermission.
 
Millikin forced an Augustana three-and-out on the first possession of the second half and then got a hand on Justin Wehr's (Bettendorf HS, Bettendorf, Iowa) punt, resulting in short field. Taking over at the Viking 30, the Big Blue took advantage of a pass interference call before Ladavion Severado's two-yard touchdown run got them on the board. Lucas McCoskey added the point after to make it 16-7 at 11:04 of the third quarter.
 
The hosts bounced back with four unanswered scores. Junior Alek Jacobs (Rock Island HS, Rock Island, Ill.) and Jarosz had touchdown runs of 40 and 28 yards, respectively and Augustana led 30-7 at the end of three quarters. Ennis added a 29-yard field goal early in the fourth and after consecutive Holley sacks of Pohrte stalled a long Millikin drive, the Vikings marched 68 yards in 11 plays. Jarosz, Jacobs and Antonio Cannon (Oak Park River Forest HS, River Forest, Ill.) combined for 46 rushing yards on the drive and Jacobs capped it with a three-yard touchdown pass to Mike Riley (York HS, Elmhurst, Ill.). Ennis' PAT made it 40-7 with 5:28 to play.
 
Pohrte hit Jordan Smith with a 37-yard touchdown pass on the next drive and McCoskey's kick accounted for the final.
 
Jarosz ran for a career-high 143 yards on 24 carries. Jacobs added 67 yards on eight attempts as Augustana rushed for 244 yards on the day. Fuller completed 14 of 26 passes for 165 yards and a touchdown. Six of his completions went to Dolis for 86 yards.
 
Holley had a huge day, with eight solo and two assisted tackles, 7½ for loss and five sacks. Sawicki was in on eight stops and Kappel intercepted a pair of passes, giving him five on the season. The Vikings limited the Big Blue to just 60 yards on the ground.
 
On Saturday, October 12, Augustana travels to Naperville, Illinois to face a North Central team that entered this week ranked fifth in the nation.