(JOLIET, Ill., Sept. 30)—Senior running back Dominique Jones (St. Louis, Mo./Hazelwood Central) (St. Louis, Mo./Hazelwood Central) rushed for a career-high 166 on just 10 carries in leading the McKendree College football team to a 41-14 victory Saturday at the University of St. Francis in Joliet, Ill.

 

Jones also posted a career-best with an 83-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second half. The burst was one of two touchdown runs for McKendree, which piled up a season-best 505 yards rushing in the contest. The Bearcats, ranked No. 22 in the latest NAIA poll, improves to 2-2 overall and 2-1 in the Mid-States Football Association Midwest League. St. Francis drops to 0-5 on the year and 0-3 in league play.

 

“I thought we came off the ball much better today, on both sides of the line,” said McKendree head coach Carl Poelker. “Up front, it was our most consistent effort of the season. We were able to control the line, and we made fewer mistakes today.”

 

All six McKendree touchdowns came on the ground against the Fighting Saints. Junior running back George Smith (Jacksonville, Fla./Bartram Trail), who finished with 71 yards on seven attempts, put the Bearcats on the board first with a five-yard run early in the first quarter. After St. Francis tied the game later in the period, Smith put McKendree in front for good on a 43-yard scoring burst down the left sideline just three minutes into the second quarter.

 

With just 1:05 remaining before halftime, Jones capped a nine-play, 60-yard drive for the Bearcats with a nine-yard touchdown rush. His 83-yard run was part of a 14-point outburst by McKendree in the first three minutes of the third quarter. Sophomore linebacker Steve Moravec (Dupo, Ill./Dupo) (Dupo, Ill./Dupo) recovered a Fighting Saints fumble on the ensuing possession, and McKendree cashed in four plays later on an eight-yard quarterback keeper by freshman quarterback Dan Loudenslager (Summerfield, Fla./Belleview) (Summerfield, Fla./Belleview) to push the lead to 27-7.

 

St. Francis pulled to within 34-14 before senior running back Jay Walton (Newman, Ga./East Coweta) (Newman, Ga./East Coweta) capped the scoring for McKendree with a three-yard TD run late in the third quarter.

 

“Our offensive line really did a great job today,” said Jones, who needs just 24 yards to become the 12^th member of the Bearcats’ 1,000-yard club. “The running backs were committed to running harder today, and the line was a big part of our success today. We’re starting to jell as a group, and we just need to keep working to get better.”

 

In his first start at middle linebacker for McKendree, Moravec responded with a game-high 16 tackles, including 10 solos. Junior linebacker Derrick Summerlin (Cincinnati, Ohio/Princeton) (Cincinnati, Ohio/Princeton) and sophomore linebacker Emanuel McCall (Weirsdale, Fla./Lake Weir) each chipped in with nine tackles.

 

McKendree will return to Leemon Field next Saturday for a MSFA Midwest League contest against Olivet Nazarene University. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m.