North Central Football vs Millikin 10.30.21 Highlights from the Cardinals’ 54-27 road victory over the Millikin Big Blue
First Quarter
Three games to go in the regular season for North Central Football…and they brought their perfect 7-0 record and #1 ranking to Decatur, Illinois on Halloween weekend to face the Millikin Big Blue…hoping to be the the scarier team rather than get spooked by the underdogs
The Millikin offense did get a treat on their first drive….as Cal Pohrte’s pass is deflected by Sam Taviani and lands perfectly in the hands of Colton Lockwood to give the hosts the early lead
Looking to respond after an early interception… Luke Lehnen reminds the Big Blue defense they have to stop him on the ground too as he picks up 25 yards on the scamper
Later in the drive it’s Ethan Greenfield back at full strength…and this was just the start of a big night for him…21 yards and the touchdown to tie the game at 7
Millikin got to the edge of the red zone on their next drive….but it’s Dan Gilroy with the spin move and the sack to drop Pohrte for a huge loss and knock Millikin out of field goal range
Second Quarter
Early second quarter now and here goes Lehnen again on the ground…28 more yards here and 100 yards exactly on the night for the freshman
That set up this crafty pitch to DeAngelo hardy…technically a forward pass…with blocks from Blake Williams and Khori Blair guiding hardy to the end zone to give the Cardinals their first lead 14-7
Millikin looking to respond but on a third down check out the full extension from Nic Rummell to tip this pass away…the big blue would have to punt
Next drive and it’s Lehnen to Hardy again….but this time deep down the middle for a 73-yard touchdown…not the first time we’ve seen this from these two this season! Hardy just too fast for the Millikin defense and the Cardinals lead 21-7
Millikin did manage to get down the field on their next drive…capped off with this dive into the end zone for Marion McGee to make it a one score game
But that didn’t last long as right before halftime Ethan Greenfield gets his second TD of the evening….28-14 Cardinals at the break
Second Half
Millikin going for it on 4th and 4 on their first drive of the third quarter…but Dakota Cremeens and Storm Simmons wrap up Jemari Smith-Payton short of the sticks and the Cardinals start the second half by forcing a turnover-on-downs
The Cardinals are great at cashing in off of turnovers….and Ethan Greenfield went to the bank here with a 52-yard touchdown…. 24 carries…183 yards…and three scores for the junior all american on the night to lead a 358 yard Cardinals rushing performance
But Luke Lehnen and DeAngelo Hardy still weren’t done….33 yards this time for the score…Hardy with 5 catches for 129 yards and three scores…a career night for the sophomore
Then, to cap off the North Central touchdowns…stop me if you’ve seen this one before….Luke Lehnen on the zone read send the entire defense the wrong way and trots in to make it 49-14
The Cardinals would add a safety and a field goal and Millikin would score twice in garbage time… but in the end the Cardinals prevail to go to 8-0 with a 54-27 victory.
