Illinois Wesleyan 2006 Football Stories

Also see other stories at Football Archives

Illinois Wesleyan Football 2006 Preseason Fact Sheet (pdf)

November 14
Six Illinois Wesleyan football players have been chosen to the all-league squads by coaches in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin. Senior defensive end Mike Stephens and sophomore wide receiver Martin Ceisel were named to the first team while junior running back Marcus Dunlop, junior defensive back Bo Osburn, senior linebacker Mike Mastro and junior defensive tackle Rob Hoyland were all tabbed as second team members. The Titans were 3-7 overall and 2-5 in league play in 2006.

November 11
Illinois Wesleyan's football season ended with a 49-14 defeat at Wheaton on Sat., Nov. 11. IWU, whose season ends with a 3-7 overall mark and a 2-5 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin record, gained 180 yards ot total offense compared to 574 for the Thunder (9-1, 6-1 CCIW). Brandon Cotter threw for 104 yards and a third quarter 17-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Musselman and also ran for a 1-yard fourth quarter score. Musselman made three catches for 60 yards. Bo Osburn led the Titans on defense with 11 total tackles.

November 9
Illinois Wesleyan senior defensive end Mike Stephens has been elected to the first team of the all-District V academic football squad and will join representatives of seven other districts on the ESPN: The Magazine Academic All-America national ballot. Only academic all-district first team members are advanced to the national ballot in each sport, but IWU had three other athletes named to the second or third teams of the district academic squads. Junior running back Marcus Dunlop was named to the second team for football. In volleyball, junior setter Jenna Passananti was on the third team of the District V all-academic squad and senior defender Ashley Goergen was also a third team selection for college division women’s soccer.

November 4
The North Central Cardinals scored on their first possession, then allowed Illinois Wesleyan to tie the game at 7-7 before scoring 26 more unanswered first half points to take a 33-7 halftime lead and won, 47-21, at IWU Stadium on Sat., Nov. 4. 
The Cardinals are 7-2 overall and 5-1 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin while the Titans fell to 3-6, 2-4.
Quarterback Kam Kniss completed 19 of 25 passes for 308 yards and three touchdowns and Dominic Sulo rushed for 81 yards on 16 carries with a touchdown to pace North Central on offense, where they racked up 445 total yards. Eric Stuedemann was Kniss’ favorite target, making nine receptions for 169 yards and a score.The Titans’ Martin Ceisel caught five passes for 114 yards and a TD and Jordan Musselman had four grabs for 49 yards and a TD as IWU managed 310 yards in the game.The Cardinals sacked IWU quarterbacks six times with Eric Schmidt getting three and David Hortsman getting a pair.  Bo Osburn led IWU with 10 total tackles.

October 28
Illinois Wesleyan scored five fourth quarter touchdowns to break open a close game and claim a 44-0 win over North Park on Sat., Oct. 28 at IWU’s Wilder Field. The Titans led by a 3-0 score at halftime and 10-0 at the end of three quarters. Nick Panno was 9-of-18 passing for 133 yards and connected on three TD passes (two to sophomore Martin Ceisel and one to senior Jordan Musselman) and junior Marcus Dunlop rushed for 138 yards on 25 carries. Rob Hoyland returned a fumble 70 yards for a defensive score in the fourth quarter and Donnie McGhee also scooped up a fumble and ran for a 23-yard score.
Mike Berry kicked a 35 yard field goal in the first quarter and Tim Schainker ran for a 1 yard TD in the fourth quarter to account for the rest of the IWU scoring.
North Park’s Shelby Wood completed 14 of 38 passes for 157 yards and Kelvyn West rushed for 76 yards as the Vikings (1-7, 0-5 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin) amassed 215 yards of total offense.
Hoyland and Mike Stephens led the IWU defense with six total tackles and Stephens broke up three passes. Ray Decatur had 10 tackles and Breon Moore made eight in the loss for NPU.The Titans (3-5, 2-3 CCIW), who had 312 yards of total offense, host North Central at 1 p.m. on Sat., Nov. 4.

October 21
Two scores in the final 32 seconds helped Elmhurst defeat the Illinois Wesleyan Titans, 25-13, on Sat., Oct. 21 in Elmhurst. The Titans are now 2-5 overall and slip to 1-3 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin. IWU led, 13-12, at halftime as Nick Panno connected on TD passes of 26 yards to Marcus Dunlop and 15 yards to Martin Ceisel. Panno was 12 of 18 for 150 yards and the two TDs while Dunlop led the rushing attack with 72 yards on 16 carries. A 92-yard drive led to the go-ahead score with 32 seconds left and the Bluejays tacked on an extra score after scooping up a late IWU fumble.
The Titans had 231 yards of total offense on 56 plays and had the ball for 27:29 while the Bluejays (5-2, 2-2 CCIW) amassed 273 yards on 73 plays and had 32:31 of possession time.
Charlie Welke led the IWU defensive attack with 10 total tackles while Mike Stephens had eight tackles and two quarterback sacks. Andrew Dulaney made an interception for a 13 yard return.
The Titans return home next Sat., Oct. 28 to meet North Park at 1 p.m.

October 14
Sophomore Martin Ceisel caught an 11-yard pass from Nick Panno in overtime as Illinois Wesleyan claimed a 12-6 win over Millikin on Sat., Oct. 14 in Decatur. The Titans improved to 2-4 overall and 1-2 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin. Marcus Dunlop led Titan rushers with 58 yards while Ceisel had five catches for 41 yards. Panno threw for 132 yards as IWU amassed 240 yards of total offense to 286 for the Big Blue (2-4, 1-2 CCIW). Bo Osburn had 10 tackles while Brian Smith and Rob Hoyland each had seven to pace IWU, who will play next at Elmhurst at 1 p.m. on Sat., Oct. 21.

October 7
The Illinois Wesleyan football team led by a 28-9 margin with 9:43 to play but Carthage stormed back to score 22 points in a six-minute span to claim a 31-28 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin win in Bloomington on Sat., Oct. 7.
IWU quarterback Nick Panno ran 51 yards for a TD on the second play of the game and the Titans led by a 7-3 margin at intermission. In the second half Marcus Dunlop scored on a 4-yard run and Martin Ceisel caught a 13 yard TD pass from Panno as the Titans led, 21-3 after three quarters. The Red Men’s Tuson Mengel scored on a 5-yard run with 12:24 to play in the game to make it 21-9 and then, for IWU, Panno hooked up with Ceisel again with 9:43 to play in the game to make it 28-9.
Mengel scored again on a 2-yard run with 6:52 to play and, after an onside kick, the Red Men got another score on a 3-yard run from Mengel with 5:05 to play.
Ceisel made eight catches for 124 yards while Dunlop ran for 63 yards on 18 carries with a TD. Panno ran for 37 yards and passed for 193 yards in his first start.
IWU’s Bo Osburn led all tacklers with 12 total stops while Rob Hoyland had 11 and Charlie Welke had nine. Carthage got six total tackles from Dave Linn and Mark Januszewski each had six tackles.
The Titans fall to 1-4 overall and 0-2 in the CCIW while the Red Men improved to 4-1, 1-1 CCIW. IWU plays at Millikin next Sat., Oct. 14 at 1 p.m.

September 30
The Illinois Wesleyan football team lost its 2006 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin opener at Augustana, 24-7, on Sat., Sept. 30 in Rock Island, Ill. The Titans (1-3 overall) managed just 125 yards of total offense (a net of -14 rushing) while allowing 387. The Titans' only score came in the second quarter when senior Joe Free caught a 39-yard touchdown pass from senior Brandon Cotter. Senior linebacker Mike Mastro had 13 total tackles and junior cornerback Bo Osburn had 12 to lead the Titans, who host CCIW foe Carthage for Homecoming next Sat., Oct. 7 at 1:30 p.m.

September 16
The Illinois Wesleyan football team fell to 1-2 in 2006 after a 28-7 loss to Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Sat., Sept. 16. The Titans trailed, 28-0, before sophomore fullback Jaryee Maples broke a 74 yard touchdown run with 4:01 to play in the third quarter to provide the lone Titan TD. IWU limited the Lions to 290 yards of total offense but the Titans were victimized by an interception returned for a touchdown and a blocked punt also returned for a score. Eight different receivers made catches for IWU, which got 121 passing yards and 94 rushing yards in the game. The Titans are idle until opening their conference season at Augustana at 1 p.m. on Sat., Sept. 30.

September 11
Illinois Wesleyan placekicker Mike Berry has been named the “Special Teams Player of the Week” in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin. A senior from Crystal Lake, Ill., Berry made field goals of 43 and 34 yards and also had an extra point in a 21-6 win over Olivet on Sat., Sept. 9 at IWU Stadium that moved the Titans' record to 1-1. The 43-yard field goal is tied for the 7th longest in Illinois Wesleyan history.

September 9
Illinois Wesleyan (1-1) logged a 21-6 nonconference win over Olivet (0-1) on Sat., Sept. 9 at IWU Stadium. The Titans’ Steve Groetsema returnd a blocked field goal 80 yards for one score and IWU got a safety when a punt was blocked out of the end zone. Mike Berry kicked field goals of 43 and 34 yards and Marcus Dunlop, who rushed for 117 yards on 29 carries, caught an 8-yard TD pass. The Titans limited the Comets to 166 total yards and only 35 in the first half.
Olivet’s lone score came on a 53 yard pass play with 7:07 left in the third quarter when Calvin McNamara connected with Carl Mulder.
Mike Mastro led the IWU defense with eight tackles and a forced fumble while Eric Esch, Charlie Welke and Brian Smith all had interceptions.Nate Hughes had nine tackles for the Comets and DeRan Thomas had eight.
IWU plays at Mt. St. Joseph in Cincinnati, Ohio next Sat., Sept. 16.

September 2
The Illinois Wesleyan football team jumped out to a 14-0 lead but wound up on the losing end of a 34-21 decision to Coe College on Sat., Sept. 2, at IWU Stadium. Sophomore Martin Ceisel caught two 19-yard TD passes from Brandon Cotter in the first quarter but Coe scored twice in the second quarter to tie the game at 14 at halftime. Ashton Northern, who ran for 127 total yards for the Kohawks, rushed in from 2 yards out with 7:16 to go in the half, then Jonathan Rife caught an 84 yard TD pass from Robert DeMoulin with 39 seconds left in the first half.
Rife caught an 22 yard TD pass from DeMoulin with 8:37 to go in the third and Grant Perry caught a 2-yard pass with 2:13 left in the third to give Coe a 28-14 lead.
Marcus Dunlop, who ran for 95 yards on 24 carries, scored the Titans’ other touchdown on a 7-yard run with 12:05 left in the fourth and Coe’s Neil Suckow scored on a 6 yard run with 7:21 to play in the game to finish the scoring.
Ceisel had seven catches for 119 yards to pace IWU, who finished with 306 yards.
Bo Osburn led the IWU defense with 10 tackles and Charlie Welke had nine. Nick Hirth and Jonathan Fowles each made six stops for the Kohawks.

August 1
The Illinois Wesleyan football team is picked to finish seventh in the 2006 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin preseason coaches’ poll. Augustana was picked No. 1 with 46 points, including four first place votes, followed by North Central (38 points, two first place votes), Wheaton (36 points, one first place vote). Millikin (one first place vote) and Elmhurst tied for fourth with 27 points, followed by Carthage (26 points), the Titans (17) and North Park (7). IWU returns eight defensive starters and 10 offensive starters, including sophomore wide receiver Martin Ceisel, who was a first team all-CCIW player in 2005. IWU opens its season at home at 1 p.m. Sept. 2 against Coe.

July 24
Four Illinois Wesleyan football players have earned honorable mention notice on the preseason All-America squads chosen by Don Hansen's Football Gazette. Senior defensive end Mike Stephens (Orland Park, Providence Catholic HS), senior kick returner Eric Esch (Bloomington HS), junior running back Marcus Dunlop (Maywood, Proviso East HS) and sophomore wide receiver Martin Ceisel (Deerfield HS) were selected to the team from IWU. Stephens, a first team all-College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin selection, made 43 total tackles, including 29 solo, and had nine quarterback sacks for -42 in yardage. Esch, a first team D3football.com All-American in 2004 and first team all-CCIW as return specialist in 2005, brought back 20 punts for a 7.2 average. Dunlop, a second team all-CCIW choice in 2005, is No. 18 all-time at the school with 1,265 rushing yards. He led last year's team with 606 rushing yards. Ceisel led IWU with 699 receiving yards on 34 catches with six TD grabs. Against Carthage, he made 10 catches for 237 yards, the fourth most in an IWU single game. The Titans, 3-7 last year, opens their season Sept. 2 with a home game against Coe.

June 2006
The Illinois Wesleyan football team will open its 2006 season with two straight home games, beginning on Sept. 2 against Coe, then hosting Olivet on Sept. 9. Both games will start at 1 p.m. The Titans return 39 lettermen and look to improve on their 3-7 overall record (2-5 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin). Head coach Norm Eash begins his 20th season at his alma mater with a career record of 116-63-1 (.647 winning percentage).