Millikin Football Downs North Park

The Millikin football team got back in the win column with a 37-10 win at North Park University in Chicago, Ill. Nov. 3. Millikin opened the scoring on a one yard run by Justin Brooks (Bloomington, H.S.). The scoring drive was highlighted by a fantastic catch from senior Erik Tobey (Herscher, H.S.) that was good for 33 yards. Matt Holmes (Wheeling, H.S.) converted the two-point conversion on a run.

Millikin went up 15-0 with four minutes left in the first quarter on a double pass play. Holmes threw a backward pass behind the line of scrimmage to Tobey who then connected with freshman wide receiver Sean Maloney (Downers Grove, Nazareth Academy) on a 54 yard touchdown pass.

North Park scored 10 points in the second quarter to make it a 15-10 game at the half.

Millikin started to take control of the game in the third quarter. The Big Blue defense stopped North Park on all four possessions in the quarter. The Millikin offense then got in gear scoring on a 13 yard pass from Holmes to senior Jake Palmer (Villa Grove, H.S.) who did a nice job fighting through the defender to make the catch.

Millikin opened up a 29-10 advantage on a 20 yard touchdown run by senior Tyler Roush (Decatur, Maroa Forsyth H.S.) early in the fourth quarter.

The Millikin defense played well in the second half and the Big Blue’s Wesley Beach (Forsyth, Maroa Forsyth H.S.) gave the scored two points after recording a safety.

Holmes and Palmer connected again on a 41 yard pass play to put Millikin up 37-10.

Tobey had 13 catches for 156 yards and was 1-1 passing for 54 yards and one touchdown. Palmer had two catches for 54 yards and two touchdowns. Holmes was 19-31-1 passing for 230 yards and two scores.

Holmes rushed for 101 yards on 14 carries. Roush had 54 yards on five carries.

Freshman Tim Yuenger (Maroa, Maroa Forsyth H.S.) led Millikin with 13 tackles including one tackle for a loss. Marquette Moore (Mt. Vernon, H.S.) had 11 tackles. Christian Silva (Effingham, H.S.) and Jake Hazelton (Wilmington, H.S.) each had 10. Freshman Jake Gates (Mattoon, H.S.) making his first collegiate start had nine tackles with one sack.

Millikin is now 4-5, 1-5 while North Park falls to 1-8, 0-6. The Big Blue close out the 2012 season by hosting Carthage College Nov. 10 at 1 p.m.