(MT. PLEASANT, Iowa, Sept. 19)--The McKendree University football team opened the Mid-States Football Association Midwest League portion of their schedule Saturday with a 40-0 victory at Iowa Wesleyan College.
As a team, McKendree used a balanced attack to grind out 301 yards rushing against the host Tigers, while sophomore quarterback Austin Fisher (Washington, IL/Washington) (Washington, Ill./Washington) completed 10-of-17 passes for 156 yards in guiding the Bearcats to victory. Defensively, McKendree forced five Iowa Wesleyan turnovers and produced a touchdown for the game's final points.
McKendree, the No. 22-ranked team in the NAIA, won its third consecutive game to improve to 3-1 overall. Iowa Wesleyan slips to 1-3 and 0-1 in the MSFA Midwest League. The Bearcats have now won all 12 meetings against Iowa Wesleyan.
“We played well on both sides of the ball today,” said McKendree head coach Carl Poelker. “I also thought we played well on special teams, giving us the three components teams need to win games. We're starting to do the little things, and that is important heading into a big game next week.”
Next Saturday (Sept. 26) the Bearcats will play host to Saint Ambrose University, which was the pre-season favorite to win the MSFA Midwest League championship. Kickoff at Leemon Field is set for 6 p.m.
Poelker broke a tie with Bob Shoup to move into 10th place on the NAIA all-time wins list. Poelker picked up career victory No. 185, and it was his 97th win as the Bearcats' head coach.
After a failed on-side kick by Iowa Wesleyan at the start of the contest, McKendree needed just 53 seconds to score as senior fullback Joe Beimfohr (Nashville, Ill./Nashville) (Nashville, Ill./Nashville) capped a four-play, 43-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown run. Senior kicker Jordan Fark (Nashville, Ill./Nashville) (Nashville, Ill./Nashville) added the point after to give the Bearcats an early 7-0 lead. Junior running back Marlone Chenault (Bellwood, Ill./Proviso East) (Maywood, Ill./Proviso East) then scored on a 10-yard run in the final minute of the first quarter to extend the Bearcats' lead to 14-0.
Midway through the second quarter, Fark booted the first of two field goals on the day, a 32-yarder, giving McKendree a 17-0 advantage. Iowa Wesleyan took the ensuing kickoff and drove to the Bearcats' 30-yard line, but the McKendree defense stopped the Tigers' Jaren Maybin on a fourth-and-three play to end the drive. With just over two minutes left until halftime.
The Bearcats then proceeded to drive 69 yards to cap the first half scoring at 24-0 as Fisher connected with junior tight end Byron Gettis (Cahokia, Ill./Cahokia) (Cahokia, Ill./Cahokia) on a 13-yard touchdown pass with 45.3 seconds on the clock. Fisher was 4-of-5 on the drive for 52 yards, including a key 31-yard strike to senior wide receiver Nick Fuhler (New Baden, Ill./Wesclin) (New Baden, Ill./Wesclin) on a third-down play.
Fark added another 32-yard field goal in the third quarter ahead of a five-yard touchdown burst by junior fullback Aaron Barnett (Williamsville, Ill./Williamsville) (Williamsville, Ill./Williamsville) to push the margin to 34-0. The Bearcats' defense accounted for the final points of the day when freshman linebacker Zach Haselhorst (Trenton, IL/Wesclin) (Trenton, Ill./Wesclin) stripped Iowa Wesleyan's Brian Farmer of the ball at the Tigers' 16-yard line. Senior defensive back Antonio Greer (Cahokia, Ill./Cahokia) (Cahokia, Ill./Cahokia) picked up the loose ball and raced 16 yards for a touchdown.
Barnett led the Bearcats' rushing attack with 58 yards on eight carries. Chenault gained 54 yards on six rushes, while Beimfohr added 50 yards on eight attempts. Beimfohr has scored a rushing touchdown in each of McKendree's first four games of 2009.
The McKendree defense held Iowa Wesleyan to 198 yards of total offense on the day. Junior defensive back Derrick Quals (North Hills, Calif./Chaminade) (North Hills, Calif./Chaminade) led the charge with seven tackles. Sophomore linebacker Brandon Nigro (New Lenox, IL/Lincoln-Way Central) (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way Central) chipped in with six tackles, while senior linebacker Heath Bohannon (Webster Groves, Mo./Webster Groves) (Webster Groves, Mo./Webster Groves) added five tackles, a sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
For Iowa Wesleyan, Maybin rushed for a game-high 103 yards on 21 attempts. Kevin McConnell completed 19-of-26 passes for 93 yards.
-McK-
