Covenant News

Football Vikings Edge Eureka College

EUREKA, IL (September 21, 2003) - Quarterback Phil DeWald scrambled for a 7-yard touchdown with 21 seconds left in the game as North Park University (NPU) beat Eureka College 23-21 in a non-league football game at McKinzie Field Saturday afternoon.

NPU's record is now 2-1 this fall. The Vikings have a bye week before playing Illinois Wesleyan University on October 4. Eureka fell to 0-3 on the season.

DeWald and company trailed 21-17 with 1:23 remaining after Eureka quarterback Dwayne Siggers scored on a 1-yard touchdown and Bryan Wilkey kicked the extra point. Seven minutes earlier, NPU had taken a 17-14 lead as Christian Thomsen kicked a 21-yard field goal.

After Eureka took the lead, the Vikings took the ensuing kickoff to its own 40-yard line. From there, DeWald threw passes of 10 and 21 yards to Jon Harris and scrambled 15 yards to set up his winning scoring run. Overall, DeWald ran for 46 yards and threw for another 169 while Dante Britten led NPU runners with 75 yards on eight carries.

DeWald's scrambling ability was an added plus on Saturday because a week earlier he had injured his right ankle and left the University of Chicago game before halftime. DeWald didn't practice for much of the week and Mike Haehn started the game in DeWald's place at quarterback, playing one series and completing his only pass attempt for 14 yards.

Saturday's fourth quarter scoring spree was in sharp contrast to the game's scoreless opening period as neither team could manage any significant offense. With one second left in the first quarter, NPU linebacker Jonathan Schwan intercepted a pass and returned the ball to Eureka's 47-yard line. But two plays later, DeWald's pass to Harris was picked off by Eureka's Josh Heinz deep in Eureka territory.

The Red Devils mounted their initial scoring drive at that juncture, going 12 plays for 94 yards, the final 24 coming on Andy Swenson's touchdown run off tackle to put Eureka ahead 7-0. With 1:05 left in the half, the Vikings tied the game at 7-all on a 14 yard pass from DeWald to Harris. A 39-yard pass from DeWald to Harris got the drive going and passes of 22 and 5 yards from DeWald to Nick Zayas also kept the drive moving.

NPU took a 14-7 lead with 2:56 left in the third quarter on Dante Britten's run of 40 yards on an option play. Eureka tied the game with 11:24 remaining as Siggers passed to Dave O'Donal for a 52 yard touchdown.

Perhaps the game's most spectacular play came shortly after Eureka tied the game as DeWald and Harris hooked up for a 67-yard pass play that set up Thomsen's field goal. Harris leaped over a defender for the catch of the long pass and weaved 20 more yards before being tackled.

Harris, NPU's lone All-Conference player from 2002, finished with six catches for 146 yards to key the Vikings offense. Swenson of Eureka led all rushers with 158 yards on 30 carries Saturday.

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