(BOURBONNAIS, Ill., Sept. 5)--The McKendree University football team piled up 494 yards of total offense – including 340 on the ground – in rolling to a 55-3 victory Saturday in non-conference action at Olivet Nazarene University.
Senior fullback Joe Beimfohr (Nashville, Ill./Nashville) (Nashville, Ill./Nashville) accounted for three of the Bearcats' eight rushing touchdowns, while sophomore running back Chris Montgomery (Avondale, AZ/Mascoutah) (Avondale, Ariz./Mascoutah) had a team-high 93 yards on the ground as McKendree improved to 1-1 on the year. Beimfohr added 90 yards on 22 carries as the Bearcats won for the eighth time in their last nine meetings with Olivet Nazarene.
“We learned a lot off that first game, and we learned a lot tonight,” said McKendree head coach Carl Poelker. “We're learning not to look at the score, but to look at the things we're doing, and what we can do to improve this week. This was a good team effort tonight, but this team is not satisfied off one effort. They know there are things to work on each week.”
Defensively, McKendree was just as impressive, holding the host Tigers to just 110 yards of total offense, including 26 yards rushing. The Bearcats also forced three Olivet Nazarene turnovers.
McKendree scored on three of its first four possessions in building a 21-0 first-quarter lead. Junior running back Tommy Gayfield (St. Louis, Mo./Mehlville) (St. Louis, Mo./Mehlville) started the scoring with a 23-yard touchdown run just over three minutes into the contest. Later in the quarter, the Bearcats scored twice in a 48-second span to increase its margin to 21 points. Montgomery broke two tackles on his way to a 32-yard scoring run, then Beimfohr scored the first of his touchdowns on a one-yard run with 2:23 left in the period.
Beimfohr's six-yard TD run midway through the second quarter staked McKendree to a 28-0 halftime lead. He wrapped up his busy day early in the third quarter on a two-yard scoring run to extend the margin to 35-0.
Olivet Nazarene (0-1) scored its only points of the night on a 47-yard field goal by Josh Howells after Beimfohr's third touchdown burst. Sophomore quarterback David Bergschneider (Pleasant Plains, IL/Pleasant Plains) (Pleasant Plains, Ill./Pleasant Plains) scored on a quarterback keeper in the final minute of the period to push the lead back to 42-3.
The Bearcats closed the contest with fourth-quarter touchdown runs of 29 yards by sophomore Erik Fohne (Pocahontas, IL/Greenville) (Pocahontas, Ill./Greenville) and two yards by junior fullback Aaron Barnett (Williamsville, Ill./Williamsville) (Williamsville, Ill./Williamsville).
Sophomore quarterback Austin Fisher (Washington, IL/Washington) (Washington, Ill./Washington) completed 6-of-10 pass attempts for 99 yards, while Bergschneider was 2-of-3 for 55 yards.
Senior defensive back Jon Malandrucco (Jacksonville, Fla./Bartram Trail) (Jacksonville, Fla./Bartram Trail) paced the McKendree defense with seven solo tackles. Senior defensive back Luke Arnold (Bloomington, Ind./Edgewood) (Bloomington, Ind./Edgewood) collected the Bearcats' lone interception of the contest.
McKendree will open the home portion of its 2009 schedule next Saturday (Sept. 12) at Leemon Field against Marian University. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m.
-McK-
