By Eric Stock

BLOOMINGTON – After back-to-back losses in two ‘championship-type’ games, the Illinois Wesleyan football team still feels it has a lot to play for in its season finale at North Park on Saturday.

“Nothing has really changed as far as our football team (is concerned),” coach Norm Eash said. “We still believe in what we are doing and we have a lot of pride. That’s what we are playing for in this ballgame.”

Linebacker Sean Garvey said it’s important to end the season on a high note.

“It sets the tempo for the off-season going out with a victory,” Garvey said. “You feel good about yourself, you feel good about what you did that game and that kind of leads into the off-season and leads into what you want in terms of expectations the following year.”

Center Mike Mulcrone said he’s grateful the coaches gave him the opportunity this season to move from defensive line where he was a backup.

“I went up to coach (Eash) and I’m life ‘Hey, we are losing a great senior center and I just wanted to compete,” Mulcrone said. “I wanted a chance to get on the field and play football. They gave me a shot and I rain with it.”

Mulcrone played both sides of the football at Notre Dame College Prep. He said the biggest adjustment to college was snapping the football, which he said became especially challenging when he his injured his right against Augustana and had to snap with his left hand.

The undersized center at 240 pounds said he plans to add about 20-25 pounds before next season to be at a better playing weight, which he said should be easier to do, since he used to wrestle in high school and was used to having to make weight before meets.

Illinois Wesleyan (7-2, 4-2 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin) has defeated the Vikings (2-7, 1-5) in 29 consecutive games dating back to 1985.

WJBC.com will have the play-by-play at 1 p.m.