(LEBANON, Ill., Oct. 11)—The McKendree University football team registered a season-high 432 yards of total offense in rolling to a 35-3 Homecoming win Saturday at Leemon Field against Trinity International University.
Senior running back Steve Moravec (Dupo, Ill./Dupo) (Dupo, Ill./Dupo) rushed for a game-high 82 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while senior running back George Smith (Jacksonville, Fla./Bartram Trail) (Jacksonville, Fla./Bartram Trail) became just the fourth player in McKendree history to rush for 2,000 yards in a career in the victory. The win snaps a three-game losing streak for the Bearcats, who improve to 2-3 on the year and 1-1 in Mid-States Football Association Midwest League play.
Defensively, McKendree also enjoyed one of its best efforts of the season. The Bearcats limited Trinity International to just 160 yards of total offense. McKendree also had two sacks and forced a fumble. In addition, the Bearcats held the Trojans without a third-down conversion in 14 attempts on the day.
Smith finished the day with 75 yards on 12 carries to push his career yardage total to 2,019. He is just 22 yards from tying former Bearcat Drew Cofty for third place on the team's all-time rushing list.
After holding a 7-3 lead at the half, McKendree broke free from Trinity International by scoring on four consecutive possessions in the second half. The Bearcats pounded out a season-high 356 yards rushing, and all five touchdowns in the contest were scored on the ground. Four different players scored for McKendree, which also registered its highest point total of the 2008 season.
Moravec opened the scoring midway through the first quarter, and junior kicker Kevin Kinsall (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon) (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon) booted the extra point to give McKendree a 7-0 lead. Trinity International (1-5, 0-2 MSFA Midwest) posted its only points of the day with 3:36 remaining until halftime when Mark Wilcox's 49-yard field goal hit the crossbar and bounced over.
The Bearcats started to take control midway through the third quarter when Moravec scored his second touchdown of the afternoon on a 20-yard run to boost the lead to 14-3. Sophomore Marlone Chenault (Bellwood, Ill./Proviso East) (Maywood, Ill./Proviso East) scored from six yards out on the Bearcats' next possession to increase the margin to 21-3 just under three minutes later.
Smith added a two-yard scoring run early in the fourth quarter, and junior running back Joe Beimfohr (Nashville, Ill./Nashville) (Nashville, Ill./Nashville) closed out the second-half scoring frenzy for McKendree with a 35-yard TD burst midway through the fourth quarter.
In his first career start at McKendree, freshman quarterback David Bergschneider (Pleasant Plains, IL/Pleasant Plains) (Pleasant Plains, Ill./Pleasant Plains) completed 4-of-7 pass attempts for 22 yards. Bergschneider split time with fellow freshman Austin Fisher (Washington, IL/Washington) (Washington, Ill./Washington), who was 4-of-5 for 54 yards. Smith caught four passes for 30 yards. With his four receptions, Smith moved into sole possession of fourth place on the Bearcats' all-time list for catches with 32.
Senior linebacker Reece McCall (Weirsdale, Fla./Lake Weir) (Weirsdale, Fla./Lake Weir) led a balanced defensive effort for McKendree with six tackles, while junior defensive back Derrick Quals (North Hills, Calif./Chaminade) (North Hills, Calif./Chaminade) chipped in with four solo tackles. Sophomore defensive lineman Craig Zurliene (Fairfield, Ill./Fairfield) (Fairfield, Ill./Fairfield) and freshman defensive lineman Brock Pflasterer (Mascoutah, Ill./Mascoutah) (Mascoutah, Ill./Mascoutah) each recorded a sack for the Bearcats.
McKendree will be in Davenport, Iowa, next Saturday for an MSFA Midwest League game against St. Ambrose University. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Brady Street Stadium.
-McK-
