Millikin Football Defeats North Park
The Millikin football team wrapped up the home portion of the 2011 schedule with a 33-21 win over North Park University on Nov. 5 at Lindsey Field.
Millikin started the day off with a bang when Mike Blakely returned the opening kickoff 96 yards for a Big Blue touchdown.
Millikin would go up later in the first quarter on a 23 yard touchdown pass from Matt Holmes to Tommy Eichenauer. The scoring drive was set up when Cody Acree intercepted North Park quarterback Jon Williams at the Viking 34 yard line.
Acree would stop the next North Park drive with an interception at the Millikin 12 yard line. The Big Blue then drove the length of the field to go up 20-0 on a two yard Sean Dunning run.
The Vikings got on the board late in the second quarter on a two yard Matt Hassan run.
Millikin then answered right back scoring on a 39 yard pass from Holmes to Eichenauer to build a 27-7 advantage at the half.
North Park move the ball on the Millikin defense in the second half scoring on its first possession on a 39 yard run by John Barnabee to make it 27-14, Big Blue.
Millikin then drove the down deep into North Park territory to have their drive stopped at the one yard line when Darius Dacanay stripped Holmes of the football.
The Vikings then made it 27-21 on a nine yard run from Williams.
After a three and out by the Millikin offense, North Park went on another drive. The Big Blue defense made a big stop when Marquette Moore stripped the ball from Chris Broadway setting up Millikin at the Millikin 48 yard line.
The Big Blue scored its final touchdown on a 19 yard run by Dunning.
North Park had a late scoring drive stopped when Wesly Beach recovered a botched Viking handoff with 39 seconds left to play.
Dunning had 156 yards rushing for Millikin on 22 carries. Holmes rushed for 56 yards and was 5-10 passing for 103 yards and two scores. Eichenauer had three catches for 68 yards and two touchdowns.
North Park got a stellar performance from Matt Hassan who rushed 35 times for 192 yards. The Vikings out rushed the Big Blue 331 to 217.
On defense, Jacob Alvis led Millikin with 18 tackles. Nick Kronmiller had 12 and Andy Roth had 11. Moore that seven tackles including two tackles for a loss and the forced fumble and fumble recovery. Acree had two inceptions and Daniel Fishel added one pick for the Big Blue.
