Big Blue Fall to Carthage
The Millikin men's football team couldn't hold off a late Carthage College rally and fell to the Red Men 40-23 at Frank M. Lindsay Field on Oct. 8.
Millikin started the game strong jumping out to a 16-0 lead in the second quarter.
The Big Blue opened the scoring on Carthage's first possession with a safety. With Carthage in punt formation, the snap sailed over the punter Chris Schultz's head. Schultz recovered the loose ball at the one yard and was tackled in his own end zone by Nick Straka for the 2-0 lead.
Early in the second quarter quarterback Matt Holmes connected with Chris Ntor-Ue on a 25 yard touchdown to give the Big Blue a 9-0 advantage.
After stopping Carthage, the Millikin offense went back to work scoring a touchdown on a 28 yard pass from Holmes to Erik Tobey to make it 16-0.
Carthage then rallied late in the quarter scoring on a six yard Reggie Miller run and a five yard T.J. Trepanier run to make it 16-13, Millikin at the half.
In the first minute of the third quarter, the Big Blue's Keith Burczak recovered a bad pitch by Trepanier at the Carthage 18 yard line. Two plays later Millikin scored on a Holmes one yard run to lead 23-13.
The Carthage defense then forced Millikin into two key turnovers that fueled the Red Men comeback. Millikin had a scoring drive stopped at the Carthage six yards by a fumble. Carthage then drove 94 yards to make it 23-20 on a seven yard pass from Trepanier to Mike Oratowski.
Late in the third quarter, Carthage took its first lead on a Trepanier to Miller six yard touchdown pass to make it 26-23.
Millikin's next possession was stopped at the Carthage 36 when Josh Langensiepen stripped Holmes of the football and recovered the fumble setting up the Red Men for another scoring drive.
Carthage scored two late touchdowns on a nine yard E.J. Edinburgh run and a 21 yard pass from Trepanier to Mike Koeneman.
Holmes had a solid day for Millikin throwing for 176 yards passing and two touchdowns on 11-28 passing. Tyler Rouch lead Millikin in rushing with 84 yards on seven carries. Tobey had three catches for 79 yards to lead the Big Blue receivers.
Trepanier was 10-15 passing for 153 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 69 yards on 17 carries including one touchdown.
Jacob Alvis and Nick Kronmiller were Millikin's leading tacklers with 12 tackles for Alvis and 11 from Kronmiller.
Langensiepen was Carthage's top defender with 12 tackles and two forced fumbles.
Millikin is now 3-2, 1-1 while Carthage goes to 4-1, 1-1. Millikin will host North Central on Oct. 15 at 1 p.m.
