The Carthage College football team (5-5, 3-4 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin) closed out its 2008 season on Saturday, Nov. 15 with a 51-24 loss to CCIW-opponent and No. 32 Wheaton College (Ill., 8-2, 5-2 CCIW) at Art Keller Field in Kenosha, Wis. Wheaton jumped out to a quick, 20-0 lead in the first period. The Thunder’s Mike Berttucci caught a 29-yard pass from quarterback Sean Norris at 8:17 for the first touchdown. Alex Pokorny caught a 30-yard pass at 1:49 for the second, and Pokorny snagged a 46-yarder with 25 seconds left in the period for a 20-0 Wheaton lead. Berttucci caught a 19-yard touchdown pass at 6:53 second period to make it 27-0. Carthage’s Tim Merchut booted a 27-yard field goal at 3:00 to make it 27-3 at halftime.
In the third quarter, the Thunder’s Rocky Gingg capped a six-play, 87-yard drive with a one-yard carry and a 34-3 edge. The Red Men’s Evan Jones hooked up with Nick Merchut on a five-yard TD pass at 9:22 to cut the lead to 34-10. Gingg scored again at 6:38 on a one-yard run to bump the Thunder’s lead to 41-10. Carthage made it a 41-17 game with 20 seconds remaining in the third period on a 12-yard touchdown carry by Mike Oratowski that capped a 12-play, 85-yard drive. Wheaton’s Shane Woodward scored on a 32-yard pass interception at 12:03 fourth period to pad the Thunder’s lead to 48-17, and Tim Ellingsen’s 31-yard field goal at 5:57 made it 51-17. Carthage completed the scoring with a one-yard carry for a score by Jeff Koeneman at 3:02, capping an 11-play, 64-yard drive.
The two teams combined for 1,031 total offensive yards. Carthage collected just 19 yards rushing but 465 yards passing, while Wheaton had 242 yards on the ground and 305 in the air. Carthage set game records for most passes completed (39, breaking a record of 34 set this year against Campbell University) and most passes attempted (74, breaking a record of 65 vs. Campbell), as well as Art Keller Field records for most passes completed (39, breaking a record of 36 set Lakeland College in 1999) and most passes attempted (74, breaking a record of 65 vs. Campbell). Evan Jones completed 26-of-49 passes for 318 yards. Jeff Koeneman caught 13 passes for 170 yards, while Nick Merchut snagged nine for 141 yards. The Thunder’s Sean Norris completed 12-of-16 passes for 284 yards and four touchdowns, while Andrew Hershey rushed for 110 yards on 13 carries.