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Western Illinois University Athletics

Brad Blumenshire
13
Drake DU 1-2
38
Winner Western Illinois WIU 2-1
Drake DU
1-2
13
Final
38
Western Illinois WIU
2-1
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
DU Drake 0 10 0 3 13
WIU Western Illinois 14 0 14 10 38

Game Recap: Football | | WIU Athletic Communications

Western Uses Big Plays to Defeat Drake 38-13

MACOMB, Ill. – Western used two big plays in the second half to turn a four-point halftime lead into a 38-13 victory over Drake on Saturday afternoon (Sept. 13) at Hanson Field. With the victory, WIU improved to 2-1 overall while the Bulldogs dropped to 1-2.
 
For the second straight game, Western had issues on the opening kickoff. This week the Leathernecks fumbled and Drake recovered on the WIU 17. The defense stepped up in the redzone. After holding to a 1-yard gain on the opening play, the defense recorded a sack by Gino Durley, Jr. for nine yards. Western held Drake to a 5-yard pass completion to set up a 37-yard field goal attempt by Ben Tesson. His kick went off the left upright and Western took over on its own 20.
 
Trenton Norvell went to work, completing 5-of-5 pass attempts to three different receivers for 64 yards. The sophomore quarterback rolled to his right and took off running. He dove into the endzone for a 7-yard TD run. Nathan Knuffman's extra point gave Western a 7-0 lead four minutes into the game.
 
The defense forced two consecutive 3-and-outs, the second after an interception, and Western's offense got the ball on their own 26. Western drove into the redzone again, and capped a 13-play drive when Kyle Hammonds scored his first touchdown as a Leatherneck, a 1-yard run and 14-0 lead late in the first quarter.
 
According to Nielson, the first quarter was some of the best football played by Western this year.
 
"I don't think we came out flat at all. Obviously we made the mistake and I'm going to quit taking the ball first because we can't seem to field a kickoff, but if you look at the first quarter we might have played our best football of the year. We moved the ball two consecutive drives and it was a great stand by the defense when we turned the ball over inside the 20-yard line," said Nielson.
 
Drake made a late charge in the half to close the gap. The Bulldogs drove 51 yards on seven plays, as Cody Thibault completed a 10-yard scoring pass to Michael Hudson. The Leathernecks were forced to punt but could not pick up a first down. Drake punted again, but on the ensuing WIU drive, picked off Norvell again. As time expired, Tesson made a 43-yard field goal making it a 14-10 game.
 
"The issue really was the second quarter. I don't know, maybe it was a deal where stuff went too well for us in the first quarter and we lost focus. And give Drake credit. Their program has won a lot of games over the last decade and I thought they showed a lot of character in the second quarter and battled back," said Nielson. "In the meantime, we made a bunch of mistakes, which that's a discipline thing. We didn't execute well offensively or defensively in the second quarter.
 
"But we crawled back into the game. So at halftime we talked about that, and we talked about how we're going to have to show some character and I think the third quarter showed our character."
 
Western allowed only one Drake first down during its first two drives of the third quarter. Western took advantage of great field position thanks to Hi-C Scott's 23-yard punt return to the Drake 34.
 
The Leathernecks needed nine plays to reach the endzone following Devon Moore's 3-yard scoring run. Western found the endzone again just 90 second later in the third quarter.
 
David McDaniel broke through the line and blocked Cam Bohnert's punt attempt. Brad Blumenshine scooped up the loose ball and scored his first collegiate touchdown on a 27-yard return. Knuffman's extra point made it 28-10.
 
On the second play of the fourth quarter, Knuffman kicked a 20-yard field goal to extend the lead. Drake staged a 16-play drive, getting down to the Western four. A penalty on a goal-to-goal situation moved Drake back to the 19. Going for it on 4th-and-goal from the 14, Eddy Holtschlag came up with a key sack and Western took over on downs.
 
During the next drive, Norvell dropped back to pass and found a wide-open Quadarias Mireles for a career-long 71-yard touchdown pass to put the game away. Tesson hit a 35-yard field goal for the final margin.
 
J.C. Baker recorded his ninth 100-yard rushing game of his career, 130 yards on 20 attempts. Norvell rebounded from the two interceptions to complete 15-of-22 passes for 205 yards and a touchdown.
 
Lance Lenoir tied a career-high with seven receptions totaling 68 yards. Mireles' one catch for 71 yards matched a game-high yardage total.
 
Redshirt-freshman Myles Spearman, making his first collegiate start, recorded a career- and team-high 11 tackles while also breaking up two passes.
 
The defense recorded a season-high seven sacks, led by Holtschlag's 1.5, and 9.0 tackles for a loss in all. Jonathon Rollins and Luke Venegoni added nine tackles apiece. Venegoni matched Spearman and Martinez Davis with two pass break-ups.
 
Andy Rice completed 19-of-42 passes for 153 yards and a score. Bob Quilico made 13 unassisted tackles and recovered a fumble. John Hugunin had 10 stops in the game.
 
Western closes out the regular season non-conference schedule next Saturday (Sept. 20) at Northwestern. The Fighting Leathernecks' first-ever meeting with Northwestern is scheduled for an 11 a.m. kickoff to be televised live on ESPNews.
 
GAME NOTES: Spearman made his first collegiate start at safety… Western's blocked punt and return for a touchdown marked the first time since Buddy Dudczak did that at North Dakota State in 2008. It was the first special teams score since a bad snap on a punt last year against South Dakota and Western scored a TD… Baker moved into sole possession of fifth place among the all-time leaders with nine 100-yard rushing games… Norvell had his fifth career 200-yard passing game. His 71-yard TD pass was the longest completion by Western since Josh Hudson hit Terriun Crump on a game-winning 77-yarder against Southern Illinois in 2011… Knuffman extended his streak to four consecutive games with a field goal... Kris Harley made a career-high five tackles … Western broke up 11 passes in the game… Western improved to 2-0 this year against the Pioneer League, and made it nine straight home non-conference wins... The attendance was a season-high 9,445 as the University celebrated Family Day.
 
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