BOX SCORE

(DES MOINES, Iowa, Oct. 15)—The McKendree University football team saw its season record slip to 0-6 on the year with a 14-0 loss Saturday on the road at Grand View University.
 
The only scoring in the contest came on a pair of second-quarter rushing touchdowns for Grand View's Darryl Ford, who capped two long scoring drives for the Vikings. The contest marked the first win for Grand View in three meetings with McKendree.
 
“The effort was there,” said McKendree head coach Carl Poelker. “It seemed to be a case of things we have seen this year – a bounce here, a tipped pass there, a mistake or a penalty at key times. The bottom line is we just have to find a way to get it done.”
 
With the contest scoreless late in the first quarter, McKendree junior punter Josh Pruitt (Orlando, FL/Boone) (Orlando, Fla./Boone) boomed a 59-yard punt that pinned Grand View back at its own two-yard line. The Vikings then put together a 16-play, 98-yard drive that culminated with Ford scoring from five yards out on the second play of the second quarter. The point after pushed the Vikings in front 7-0.
 
On its next possession, Grand View (5-3) marched 85 yards on 15 plays to extend its margin to 14-0. The key play on the drive came on a second-and-nine play from the Bearcats' 27-yard line. Greg Charles' pass bounced off the hands of both the intended receiver and a McKendree defender, but landed in the hands of Brady Roland, who was tackled at the nine-yard line.
 
Three plays later, Ford added another five-yard TD rush. Ford finished the contest with a game-high 126 rushing yards on 25 carries.
 
Midway through the third quarter, McKendree drove down to the Vikings' five-yard line, and faced a third-and-goal situation. Senior quarterback Austin Fisher (Washington, IL/Washington) (Washington, Ill./Washington) tried to hit senior wide receiver Myron Hicks (Sauk Village, IL/Bloom Trail) (Sauk Village, Ill./Bloom Trail) on a slant pattern at the goal line, but Grand View's Dan Callewaert batted the pass away. The Bearcats tried the same play on fourth down, but had the same result as Callewaert knocked down the pass to Hicks.
 
Fisher was 10-of-21 for 96 yards at Grand View, while junior quarterback David Bergschneider (Pleasant Plains, IL/Pleasant Plains) (Pleasant Plains, Ill./Pleasant Plains) was 1-for-2 for nine yards in a relief role. Seven different receivers caught a pass on the day for McKendree. Sophomore fullback Stephen Wallace (Chester, IL/Chester) (Chester, Ill./Chester), who had two catches in the game, also rushed for a team-best 33 yards on five carries.
 
Senior linebacker Brandon Nigro (New Lenox, IL/Lincoln-Way Central) (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way Central) posted a game-high 15 tackles, including nine solos to lead the Bearcats' defense. Senior linebacker Jason Rejfek (Arlington Heights, IL/John Hersey) (Arlington Heights, Ill./John Hersey) contributed 13 stops with 10 solos. Rejfek also had three tackles for loss.
 
McKendree will be at home next Saturday (Oct. 22) to face Trinity International University for Homecoming. Kickoff at Leemon Field is set for 1:30 p.m. The Bearcats have not lost in 15 Homecoming contests since the football program was revived for the 1996 season.