Illinois Wesleyan (6-0, 3-0) vs. Wheaton (4-2, 2-1)
Sat., Oct. 21 • 1 p.m.
McCully Field, Wheaton, Ill.
TITAN NOTES: The last Titan teams to be 6-0 were the 10-1 Division III playoff teams of 1996 and 1992. Both teams finished with 10-1 records. . . IWU posted a 23-7 win at home over Elmhurst. Senior quarterback Joel Castillo (Elgin, Larkin HS) ran for 13 and 5 yard TDs while junior Aaron Telford (Bloomington, Central Catholic HS) rushed for a 3-yard score in the fourth quarter. Freshman Brian Klesath (Peoria, Notre Dame HS) added a 32-yard field goal at the end of the first half and freshman Dennis Tovar (Elgin, Larkin HS) launched a 64-yard punt in the second quarter, the fifth longest in IWU history. The record is 72 by Brett Robinson vs. Carroll in 1984. IWU was led defensively by John Kovaka (Chicago, Marist HS) and Jeff Heinzl (Palatine, Fremd HS), both of whom had 12 total tackles and Joel Dodson (Pontiac HS) with 11. Brad Andrekus (Carol Stream, Glenbard North HS) had an interception. . .The Titans are seventh in College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin offense with 302.3 yards per game and are third in the league in defense, allowing just 256.8 yards per game. IWU is also second in the league in scoring defense, allowing only 8.8 points per game...The Titans return home for a 1 p.m. CCIW game next Saturday against the Carthage Redmen.
LEAGUE HONORS: Senior lineman Jeff Heinzl (Palatine, Fremd HS) has been named “Defensive Player of the Week” in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin for his play against Elmhurst. Heinzl had 12 total tackles, including three quarterback sacks for -27 yards and seven other tackles for losses totaling -13 yards. Earlier this year, sophomore Joel Dodson (Pontiac HS) was CCIW “Defensive Player of the Week” for his play in the win at Aurora.
RANKINGS: The Titans, who were picked to finish fourth in the CCIW preseason coaches’ poll, remained at No. 14 for the second straight week in the American Football Coaches Association poll and jumped to No. 19 from No. 20 in Don Hansen’s Football Gazette. In the latest usafootball.com poll, IWU was No. 14.
CAREER MARKS: In his career, Shawn Emerson (Zion, Zion-Benton HS) has 125 catches (No. 8 all-time at IWU) for 1,802 receiving yards (No. 5 all-time) and 18 TD catches (No. 8 at IWU) . . . Max Milinkovich (Elmhurst, York HS) has 1,932 career rushing yards, good for No. 8 all-time at IWU. He is behind Gary Vicini (2,019 yards from 1972-75).
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Chosen by Titan coaches to honor top players in the week’s game and practices.
OFFENSE: Shaun Friziellie, junior, tight end, Prospect (HS)
DEFENSE: Jeff Heinzl, senior, line, Palatine (Fremd HS)
SPECIAL TEAMS: None selected
SCOUT TEAM (Offense): Dave Strubbe, freshman, wide receiver, Oak Forest (Providence Catholic); Chris Pedersen, freshman, wide receiver, Bloomington (Normal U High)
SCOUT TEAM (Defense): Jason Cartwright, freshman, linebacker, Schaumburg (Conant HS).FOR THE RECORD: IWU has won 41 of its last 48 games (.854) and is guaranteed a better-than-.500 season for the seventh straight season and for the 11th time in the last 12 years. . .IWU teams were 72-21-1 in the 1990s (.769) and, in the Eash era, are 40-21 in October (.656). The Titans are 48-14 (.774) at home and 41-23-1 on the road (.648) under Eash’s tutelage. . . IWU is 37-7 (.841) at Wilder Field in the last 10 years, including 2000...IWU has won 11 straight regular season non-league games, dating back to a 24-21 loss to Simpson in 1995...CCIW teams were 19-5 against non-conference foes in the league’s first 10-game schedule.
THE COACHES: Norm Eash, a 1975 IWU graduate, is in his 14th season as head coach at Illinois Wesleyan. He has an overall record of 89-37-1 (.702) and a CCIW mark of 68-30-1 (.689) with conference titles in 1992, 1994, and 1996. Eash is tied for sixth in all-time CCIW coaching wins with Wheaton’s Harve Chrouser, who was 68-7-2 from 1946-59. Eash is second in victories at IWU, behind Don "Swede" Larson (166 wins in 33 years, 1954-86) . . .With an overall record of 29-13 (22-9 CCIW), Mike Swider is in his fifth season as Wheaton’s head coach after 11 seasons as defensive coordinator, a position he still holds. A 1977 Wheaton graduate, Swider is a former Wheaton quarterback and still ranks 10th in career passing yards at the school.
THE SERIES: Wheaton won last year, 22-20, at IWU to take a 22-21-2 lead in the series that dates back to 1922. In the last 15 meetings, Wheaton has a 10-4 lead with a tie in 1991. Norm Eash is 4-8-1 vs. Wheaton.
ABOUT THE THUNDER: Wheaton is fresh from a 29-24 home win against Carthage. They have wins over St. Xavier (17-9), Wabash (17-14), and North Central (38-10), while the Thunder has lost to Hope (26-14) and Millikin (35-10).. . The Thunder is second in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin in team offense (375.3 per game) and rank fourth in defense (283.0). Wheaton scores 20.8 per game and allows 17.3. Running back Brian Pastermack is the CCIW “Offensive Player of the Week” as he ran for 220 yards and two TDs vs. Carthage. Josh Anderson was the Thunder quarterback last week and has been splitting time with Neil Anderson. Whoever throws it, a likely catcher is Jeremy Amos, who leads the CCIW with 828 receiving yards and 52 catches. Wheaton is led on defense by Greg McMillin (61 total tackles) and Brett Wyss (51), while Ryan McCaffrey has four interceptions and three other Wheaton defenders have two pickoffs each.