ELMHURST, Ill. – The Elmhurst football team suffered a heartbreaking 16-14 loss to Carroll University after the Pioneers scored on a late touchdown surrounded by controversy.
Elmhurst (1-2, 0-2 CCIW) led 16-14 with just four minutes remaining despite having to use three quarterbacks due to injuries.
Carroll (2-1, 1-1 CCIW) took its final possession following the Bluejays score. A roughing the kicker penalty on Elmhurst kept Carroll's drive alive and the Pioneers capitalized, driving across midfield and facing a fourth-and-three from the Elmhurst 38-yard line. A short completion just barely gave Carroll a first-down at the Elmhurst 35 after a close measurement. Pioneers QB Colton Balhling connected with Parker Zitzke for a 24-yard completion down to the Elmhurst 13-yard line and that's when the controversy began.
Out of timeouts, Carroll raced downfield to stop the clock. The Pioneers snapped and spiked the ball after the ball was placed. After an incompletion from Bahling on the next snap, the Bluejays thought they were facing third down but instead found out that the spiked ball had been ruled a no-play because the chains were not set even though the clock was not wound on the ensuing play by Carroll. On the fifth snap and fourth down for Carroll, Bahling hit Zitzke in the end zone for the game-winning 13-yard touchdown.
The game was scoreless after the first 15 minutes before Elmhurst jumped on the scoreboard late in the first half. Chase Hankins, filling in for an injured Orlando Hernandez, engineered a 10-play, 85-yard scoring drive, capped by a five-yard touchdown run from Jawan Gaines with just 54 seconds left in the half.
Carroll took the ensuing kickoff and drove inside the red zone, burning all three timeouts before setting up a second-and goal from the Bluejays' two-yard line with seven seconds left. The Pioneers tried to run the ball, but Lavor Little and Brandon Dominski stuffed Carroll running back J.J. Keels at the one-yard line as time expired for the half.
Carroll broke through just before the end of the third quarter, driving 80 yards in nine plays. The Pioneers capped the scoring drive with a five-yard touchdown run from Bahling. Disaster struck for Elmhurst on its next possession as Carroll forced a fumble and recovered the ball inside the Bluejays' 25-yard line. The Pioneers capitalized on the turnover, taking their first lead of the game (10-7) on a 28-yard field goal from Griffin Idelman with 11:34 left to play.
Elmhurst's defense came up big late in the fourth quarter. With the Pioneers driving in Elmhurst territory, Brandon Greer jumped in front of a Bahling passed and returned the pick 73 yards to the Carroll eight-yard line. Two plays later, Ryan Summers, the Bluejays' third-string quarterback, scored on a three-yard touchdown run to put Elmhurst back in front at 14-10, setting up the controversial finish.
Elmhurst finished the game with 264 yards of offense, rushing for 179 and passing for 85. Carroll totaled 395 yards of offense with 264 coming on the ground and 131 coming through the air attack.
Ben Holloway led Elmhurst on the ground, rushing 18 times for 65 yards. Summers, Haskins and Orlando Hernandez combined to complete 8-of-18 passes for 85 yards. Jake Tahaney caught three passes for 54 yards.
Keels led Carroll's ground attack, totaling 109 yards on 17 carries. Preston bell added 71 yards on eight carries while Bahling completed 14-of-29 passes for 131 yards and a score.
Jay and Greer led Elmhurst defense with a combined 23 tackles. Jay finished with 12 stops, including seven solo. Greer totaled 11 tackles, including nine solo. He also had the interception, a quarterback sack and a team-leading four tackles for loss.
Elmhurst travels to Carthage College next Saturday, September 29.