North Central Football dominated the Elmhurst Blue Jays 77-7 to improve to 6-0 on the season and 5-0 in conference play.
First Quarter
We get right into the action and after a bit of a slow start, the Cardinals offense is handed a gift as Elmhurst punter Ryan Brenner can’t handle the snap, and on the very next play Luke Lehnen fakes out the defense and the camera to give North Central a 7-0 mid way through the first quarter.
Terrence Hill was the decoy on this occasion but his time would come.
Elmhurst back on offense and the North Central defense with it’s first higlight reel play as Dan Gilroy bursts into the backfield and brings down Elmhurst QB Noah Henkel for a loss of of 11 and the Blue Jays would punt.
At this point the Cardinals offense started to roll, and Luke Lehnen finds Andrew Kamienski who punctuates this touchdown with a stiff-arm to go in for the score and double the lead, 14-0 North Central. Take another look, the All-American dishing out the hit on this occasion.
Next Cardinals drive and the passing game strikes again. Lehen rolls left but then bombs one back right to a wide open Khori Blair for another score. Blair led all Cardinal receivers on the night with 68 yards on 3 catches.
Second Quarter
Elmhurst looking to not let things get away from them when Henkel is picked off by De’Angelo Roberson, the senior cuts off the route for his first takeaway of the season.
The Cardinals were already without starting running back Ethan Greenfield and in the second quarter they lost Kamienski as well. He hops off to the side after making this catch and would not return to the game.
But the offense would be just fine, here’s Terrence Hill filling in for Greenfield with his first score of the night, a 15 yard touchdown run to make it 28-0.
Next drive, more Hill, this time capping off a 12 play, 79 yard drive with this three yard score. A big night for the junior was still only getting started.
Here he is scoring through the air, as he hauls in this pass out of the backfield from Lehnen and gets himself an easy touchdown. 87 total yards and 3 touchdowns for him.
Second Half
The defense just did not let up, here’s Dakota Cremeens darting in for a forced fumble and a sack. 5 sacks for the defense on the night.
Luke Lehnen’s final pass of the night came on the first play of the next drive. He finds Jacob Paradee for the score. 272 yards and 5 total touchdowns for the freshman quarterback.
In relief, here comes Jake Johnson who on this QB read takes it in for six. That made it a 56-0 nothing lead late in the third quarter.
This was a game where the Cardinals really flexed their running back depth, and here’s Justin Lynch sprinting down the sideline away from would-be tacklers for a 54 yard touchdown.
Then, watch as Darius Byrd somehow navigates this flock of Blue Jay defenders to find his way in for six. 37 yards and 70 points.
But the longest touchdown run of the night belonged to Jake Johnson. 63 yards on the QB keeper all the way to the house. Johnson had only three rushing attempts but made the most of them with his two scores. The sideline is pumped. And well they should be, North Central football is 6-0 with a 77-7 win at home over Elmhurst.
