(DEERFIELD, Ill., Oct. 6)—Junior running back Shane McBride (Troy, Ill./Triad) (Troy,Ill./Triad) rushed for a career-best 146 yards and two touchdowns to lead the McKendree University football team to a 27-14 win Saturday at Trinity International University.

 

McBride also had two long punt returns that set up touchdowns as the Bearcats posted their second consecutive Mid-States Football Association Midwest League victory. McKendree is now 3-2 overall and 2-0 in MSFA Midwest League action. Trinity International slips to 1-5 on the year and 0-2 in the MSFA Midwest.

 

“Shane was the difference today,” said McKendree head coach Carl Poelker. “Trinity had Jake (junior fullback Jacob Rohman (Metamora, Ill./Metamora)) bottled up, and our tailbacks bottled up, so we knew we needed to get production from our wingbacks. (Junior running back) George (Smith) got injured late in the first half, so Shane stepped in and he did the job. He saw things, cut well, and if you watch the film, you will see he blocked well also. Plus he had some big punt returns for us.”

 

McKendree built a 14-0 lead late in the first quarter on consecutive possessions late in the quarter. After a 38-yard punt return by McBride put the ball at the Trinity 13-yard line, Rohman capped a four-play drive with a two-yard touchdown run. On the Bearcats’ next drive, McBride broke two tackles down the left sideline and raced 26 yards for a score. Sophomore Kevin Kinsall (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon) (O’Fallon, Ill./O’Fallon) added both extra points.

 

Smith added a four-yard touchdown run with 3:44 left in the first half as the Bearcats extended their lead to 20-0. Trinity International came back and cut the deficit to 20-14 early in the fourth quarter as Ron Hamilton threw touchdown passes of 48 yards to Deon Dukes and 19 yards to Kenneth Dantzler. The Trojans were driving with just under five minutes to play when the McKendree defense stopped Trinity on a fourth-and-sixth play from the Bearcats’ 33-yard line.

 

After McKendree recorded a pair of first downs and moved to the Trinity 49-yard line, McBride took a handoff, broke two tackles around left tackle, cut back at the 40 and outraced the safety to the end zone to seal the win for the Bearcats.

 

Junior linebacker Heath Bohannon (Webster Groves, Mo./Webster Groves) (Webster Groves, Mo./Webster Groves) had a team-high seven tackles to lead McKendree.