Illinois Wesleyan football stuns Carthage with late comeback

Posted on October 3, 2015
Artie Checchin
Artie Checchin scored two touchdowns in the final 1:19 of the Titans’ 21-17 win at Carthage. (Photo courtesy www.iwusports.com)

By Eric Stock

KENOSHA, Wisc. – Illinois Wesleyan senior Artie Checchin caught two touchdown passes and recovered an onside kick in the final two minutes as the 20th-ranked Titans rallied for a 21-17 win over Carthage in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin at Art Keller Field.

The Titans trailed 17-9 with 5:51 remaining when they recovered a Carthage fumble at the IWU 22. Wesleyan embarked on a 13-play, 78-yard drive which ended on Jack Warner’s 18-yard scoring toss to Checchin on fourth and goal with 1:19 remaining.

Michael Kelley executed an onside kick which caromed past a Red Men into Checchin’s hands at the IWU 47. Warner would find Checchin in the end zone again with 11 seconds remaining to give the Titans their first lead of the game and stun Carthage’s homecoming crowd. .

Checchin, a Preseason All-American, finished with 10 receptions for 150 yards. Warner completed 21 of 36 passes for 294 yards and two touchdowns. He was 10-for-17 passing for 136 yards in the fourth quarter.

Kelley atoned for his first missed extra point of the season by converting a 43-yard field goal in the third quarter to bring the Carthage lead to 14-9.

IWU improves to 4-0, 1-0 in the CCIW. Carthage falls to 1-3. The Titans play their homecoming game on Oct. 10 vs. Millikin.

Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].

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