Jeff Thorne revels in Wheaton win on this week’s episode of The Red Zone. The Cardinals’ head coach sat down with Alex Campbell this week to discuss how his team defeated Wheaton College in the Battle for the Little Brass Bell for the first time in five years to improve to 2-0 on the season and put themselves in the drivers seat to win the Collegiate Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin championship.
The Team’s Approach
Asked whether he could sense if there was something different about his team heading into this year’s Wheaton game that may have allowed them to triumph unlike in prior years, Thorne said they try to take every game equally seriously but that he knows that the team, particularly the fifth-year seniors, wanted to be more prepared than usual for this game.
Claiming the Trophy
On that note, Thorne said it was an incredibly emotional moment to watch senior wide receiver Andrew Kamienski run over to the Wheaton sideline to claim the Brass Bell. He said he’s incredibly proud of the team and that they more than deserve this moment that they’ve waited so long for.
Dominant Defense
Thorne, as he often does, pointed to the Cardinals’ defense being the underrated half of the team despite consistently strong performances. This was one of their strongest, pitching a shutout after the Thunder scored on the game’s opening drive.
Staying Focused
With Aurora and Wheaton in the rear-view, it is likely that the Cardinals will be heavy favorites for every game remaining on their schedule. Thorne said the key is to keep their heads down and work no less hard than they did ahead of these first two game. He also pointed to how it hasn’t always just been North Central and Wheaton, and that proud programs such as Augustana and Illinois Wesleyan can never be overlooked.
