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| The Vikings of North Park won their fourth game Saturday, something they hadn't done since 1993. North Park athletics file photo |
North Park won a fourth game for the first time in 30 years, while Augustana beat Wash U in another CCIW showdown, King's handed Lebanon Valley its first conference loss and Middlebury snapped Trinity (Conn.)'s 15-game winning streak.
Juan Nieves returned a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown and Matt Eck hit Thomas Knight for another big-play touchdown as North Park improved to 4-2 on the season, defeating Illinois Wesleyan 20-18. The Titans (1-5) got on the board first when Jahari Scott blocked a punt and landed on it in the end zone, and they extended it to 12-0 on a short TD run early in the second quarter. But Nieves followed that score by taking the kickoff return to the house. IWU missed a 31-yard field goal midway through the third quarter, and North Park took it from there, with Marcel Love ripping off a 38-yard run to get into IWU territory and Eck finding Jereme Ombogo deep down the right sidelines for a big gainer. From there, Quadrell Hill ran it in for a 13-12 lead. IWU turned the ball over on downs at the North Park 21 and that's when Eck found Knight for a 71-yard score and a 20-12 lead. The Titans answered with a TD drive, but quarterback Dermot Smyth was unable to run it on on the two-point conversion. North Park got one final stop to seal the win.
Augustana went to Washington University in St. Louis and came away with the key win they've been looking for, defeating the Bears 35-17. The Vikings Tyler Rivelli ran for two touchdowns and Mike DiGioia added another in the win. The win moves Augustana (5-1, 4-1 CCIW) into a tie for second in the conference with Wash U and Wheaton, which beat Augie earlier in the season.
Middlebury scored the game-winning touchdown with less than two minutes remaining, and the Panther defense held strong in the waning seconds to help snap Trinity's 15-game winning streak with a 20-15 victory. Middlebury was the only team to hold the Bantams without a touchdown during that span and handed Trinity its first loss at home in more than five years. The Bantams took the lead on a field goal with 5:44 left but Middlebury answered with a 68-yard TD pass from Cole Kennon to Mike Ahonen to take the lead. Trinity had one last shot but the Panthers' Kieran Sheridan stuffed a rushing attempt up the middle by Tyler Dinapoli and the clock ran out before Trinity could get its final snap off.
Brennan Robinson came up big for King's, scoring three times to help lead the Monarchs to a 35-21 win on the road at Lebanon Valley in a key Middle Atlantic Conference contest. Robinson ran for just 70 yards and caught two passes for 5 yards, but it was enough to get him in the end zone three times as the Monarchs improve to 5-1 overall and 4-1 in the MAC, while the Flying Dutchmen drop their first MAC game and stand at 4-2, 4-1 MAC. The Monarchs also picked off Braden Bohannon three times and limited him to 8-of-24 passing, although he ran for 123 yards and two scores. The loss spoiled J.R. Drake's first game as head coach at Leb Val after having the interim tag removed on Thursday afternoon.
Wide receiver Angel Sanchez caught a 25 yard pass from quarterback Dante Aviles-Santos in overtime to lift UMass Dartmouth to a 26-23 victory at Westfield State. The win left the Corsairs tied with Western Connecticut one game behind Bridgewater State in the MASCAC, after Bridgewater rolled past Worcester State 35-7. Cooper Harvey booted a 35-yard field goal for Westfield State in offensive possession in OT, but Aviles-Santos found Sanchez as he caught the ball at the 8-yard line then dove toward the pylon, stretching across for the game-winning touchdown.
Elijah Swett kicked a game-winning 29-yard field goal with 43 seconds remaining to lead Hampden-Sydney to a 31-28 Old Dominion Athletic Conference road win at Averett. Andrew Puccinelli passed for a game-high and career-high 418 yards and three touchdowns, sophomore wide receiver Mason Cunningham had a game-high and career-high 199 yards receiving and two touchdowns. AU added a 36-yard field goal by Caviness at 9:03 of the fourth quarter to close the margin to 28-20. Hampden-Sydney had a field goal attempt blocked, and Averett responded with a 46-yard touchdown pass from Jackson to Shawn Watlington at 5:06, and a successful two-point PAT conversion pass from Bryce Jackson to Christian Williams tied the contest at 28-28. The Tigers started their final possession at their own 25 and drove 63 yards on 10 plays to the Cougars' 12-yard line for Swett's game-winning 29-yard field goal. Averett had a 48-yard field goal attempt fall short on the final play of the contest.
Gallaudet scored three touchdowns in the fourth quarter and survived a Castleton field goal attempt from 28 yards out for 4 seconds left and the Bison came away with a 24-23 win against the Spartans. Gallaudet did it all without a big day from super back Brandon Washington, as Andre Green returned a kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown to start the comeback and Mikka Harvey and Dre'Vaughn Mackall each ran for fourth-quarter TDs. Noah Crossman had hit three short field goals to help Castleton build the 16-0 lead before his miss in the closing seconds.