Big Blue Football Rolls Over Greenville

            The Millikin football team opened the 2012 season with a 50-17 win over Greenville College on Sept. 1.  The game was played on the artificial surface at Edwardsville, Ill. H.S. due to the threat of heavy rain.

            Millikin wasted little time in cranking up the offense.  Darrell Mitchell opened the game with a 54 yard kickoff return setting up an 18 yard touchdown run from quarterback Matt Holmes one play later. 

            Greenville scored on a 22 yard Josh Frewin field goal on their first possession to make it a 6-3 Big Blue advantage.

            Millikin answered right back when Holmes hooked up with senior wide receiver Jake Palmer on a 49 yard touchdown pass to make it 13-3, Big Blue.

            Greenville then scored on an Immanuel Gamble three yard touchdown run at the end of the first quarter to make it 13-10.

            Millikin then broke open the game scoring 37 straight including 21 point in the third quarter to build a 50-10 advantage.

            Millikin scored twice in the second quarter with Holmes connecting with tight end Avery Aina on a 25 yard touchdown pass.  Holmes then connected with Palmer for a second time hitting him on a 27 yard touchdown pass.

            Millikin's third quarter outburst started with a 19 yard Tyler Roush run.  The Big Blue defense then got into the scoring act with defensive back returned an interception 68 yards for a touchdown.  Holmes then threw his fourth touchdown pass on the day connecting with Erik Tobey from 27 yards.

            Austin Brettschneider's 44 yard field was Millikin's final score in the game.

            Millikin featured a balanced offense attack gaining 415 total yards with 217 coming on the ground and 198 through the air.

            Holmes finished 10-14 for 198 yards and four touchdowns.  Palmer was Millikin's top receiver with four catches for 120 yards and two scores.  Sean Dunning had 67 yards rushing on 11 carries while Roush gained 61 yards on seven carries.  Holmes rushed for 46 yards on five carries.

            Andy Roth and Jake Hazelton led the Big Blue defense with eight tackles each.  Jacob Alvis added seven.

            Gamble had 88 yards rushing for Greenville.  Cody Lopez led the Greenville defense with 12 tackles.

            Light rain fell on several occasions during the game, but the heavy rain originally forecasted for the area never materialized.

            Millikin will host Hope College on Sept. 8 in its home opener at 1 p.m.