By Eric Stock

BLOOMINGTON – Illinois Wesleyan football coach Norm Eash said the team’s goals are still intact after suffering its first loss of the season to North Central on Saturday.

“The thing we’ve been stressing to our players is to move forward,” Eash said. “We are still playing for a conference championship this week. We really will determine who wins the conference.”

The (7-1, 4-1 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin) can realistically still claim a share of the CCIW championship as they host No. 7-ranked Wheaton (8-0, 5-0) in a Senior Day game on Saturday.

Wesleyan will need to replace the conference’s top receiver, senior Artie Checchin. He suffered a season-ending-leg injury when his foot got caught in the endzone turf at Tucci Stadium while making a two-point conversion catch in the third quarter of the loss to North Central.

Eash said it’s an opportunity for others to fill his shoes.

“It’s unfortunate, but next guy up, that’s the way you have to approach it,” Eash said.

Defensive back Kevin Slawkowski said it didn’t take long to shift the focus onto Wheaton this week.

“Obviously everyone was a little mad a little disappointed in our play right after the game,” Slawkowski said. “We come in Sunday (for a team meeting) and it’s on to Wheaton. It’s championship week, so we have to move forward.”

Slawkowski added he would love to close out his college career by winning the CCIW title.

“There’s no letdown in excitement,” he said. “We’ve gone all four years without one. We are going to do our best to take it.”

Senior running back Anfernee Roberts said he’s been telling the underclassmen to seize the moment.

“Now it’s time to make your name and you still have other years to do the same,” Roberts told them. “It’s basically getting them on board, letting them know we can accomplish the goals we set out at the start of the season.”

WJBC.com will have the play-by-play at 12:45 p.m.

Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].