North Central Edges Past Vikings in Overtime

NAPERVILLE, IL (October 20, 2001) - Despite 149 yards on 21 carries by Dante Britten, North Park University (NPU) lost its second overtime game in three weeks, this one a 24-17 heartbreaker at North Central College Saturday.

The Vikings dropped to 2-5 overall, 0-4 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, as North Central moved to 2-5, 1-3 in the CCIW with a Homecoming game victory.

North Central quarterback Jeremy Walsh scored from two yards out after the Cardinals took possession to start the overtime. North Park got the ball and moved to the North Central 7-yard line, but fumbled on a fourth down play to end the contest.

The Cardinals dominated play in the opening quarter, getting touchdown runs from Walsh and tailback Michael Mims in the first 11 minutes of the game. A 21-yard field goal by Ryan Jordan gave the home team a 17-0 edge with 14:12 left in the half before North Park mounted a furious comeback.

Midway through the second period, Tim Daggy intercepted a Walsh pass and returned the ball 22 yards to North Central's 31-yard line. Eight plays later, Vikings quarterback Phil DeWald scored on a 1-yard run with 6:34 remaining in the half to narrow the NPU deficit 17-7.

North Park took the second half kickoff to its own 34-yard line and scored three plays later to cut the North Central lead to 17-14. DeWald hit Herve Menard with a 31-yard pass, Britten ran for 12 yards and DeWald connected with wide receiver Chris Oquendo for a 23-yard touchdown pass at the 14:12 mark of the third quarter.

The Vikings had a chance to take the lead midway through the third period, driving 79 yards in 10 plays before being stopped at the Cardinals 1-yard line. But two plays into the fourth period, DeWald hit Dominic Senese on a 47-yard pass, leading to a 24-yard field goal by Jason Reynolds that tied the game at 17-all with 12:25 left in regulation play.

DeWald passed for 160 yards to complement Britten's running. Defensively, Tim Wisnar had a big game for the Vikings with eight solo tackles and 13 assists.

Mims led North Central's running game with 148 yards on 26 carries and his 17-yard run in overtime put the Cardinals in position to score its winning touchdown.

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