Wheaton dodges IWU comeback to win CCIW football title

Posted on November 7, 2015

Maurice Shoemaker-Gilmore rushed for 97 yards in Illinois Wesleyan’s loss to Wheaton. (Photo courtesy iwusports.com)

By Eric Stock

BLOOMINGTON – Wheaton scored the game’s first 20 points in the first quarter and survived an Illinois Wesleyan rally to earn a second consecutive College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin title with a 40-27 win at Tucci Stadium.

The Thunder scored on its first three possessions, benefiting from a muffed punt to set up a short field on the second score. Three Wheaton turnovers enabled the Titans to claw back into the game.

PODCAST: Listen to the postgame interview with IWU coach Norm Eash.

Jack Warner shrugged off a pick six late in the third quarter to lead Wesleyan on two-scoring drives to tie the game at 27 by the end of the third quarter.

Playing with the wind at its back in the fourth quarter, Wheaton took control with two scoring drives, taking the lead on Andrew Bowers’ 40-yard touchdown pass to Andrew Lindquist.

Austin Wagner caught four passes for 124 yards and two touchdowns for IWU. Maurice Shoemaker-Gilmore rushed for 97 yards on 15 carries.

Wheaton improves to 9-0, 6-0 in the CCIW. The Titans drop to 7-2, 4-4 in the CCIW.

Wesleyan will close out the regular season at North Park on Saturday.

Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].

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