Playoff run ends

PRINT THIS COMMENTS (0) SEND TO A FRIEND RELATED STORIES

By Dan Schumerth, December 6, 2008

Wheaton stole the momentum at the start of the game and would never let go for longer than an instant. The Thunder defense forced a three-and-out – giving up just two yards – on the first Grizzly possession.

 

Then, after an interception by senior Trent Dahlstrom, Wheaton’s Pete Ittersagen intercepted a Chad Rupp (senior) pass and returned it 52 yards for a touchdown to take the early 7-0 lead.

 

“I give credit to their DB’s. They were right there with us,” said head coach Mike Leonard. “There weren’t many open receivers all day long. Chad had to thread it several times.”

 

Through defense and special teams, Ittersagen proved to be vital in Wheaton’s success. He returned three kicks for 150 yards – plus one punt for seven – with a touchdown. The kick return for a touchdown gave him a total of two without ever playing on the offensive side of the ball.

 

The teams then exchanged field goals – a 24-yarder by junior Machy Magdalinos and a 41-yarder by Wheaton’s Tim Ellingsen – to keep the Thunder lead at seven.

 

Rupp and company refused to be kept out of the end zone any longer, though. Anchored by three 15-yard plus plays – two Rupp passes to seniors Jon-Erik Bennett and Logan Deffner and a Rupp rush – the Grizzly offense put together an 11 play, 80-yard touchdown drive. Deffner’s 15-yard catch went for the score and the tie.

 

Wheaton would answer, though, after a 48-yard Ittersagen kick return. Rocky Gingg established himself as the key to the Thunder offense, rushing on five of the drive’s seven plays for 23 of his 145 yards and one of his two touchdowns on the day. Wheaton recaptured the lead, 17-10.

 

On the following Grizzly possession, Rupp was sacked by Wheaton’s Ben Kuenzle. The seven-yard loss proved too much to overcome, forcing Franklin to punt.

 

“Their defense just stepped up and played a great game,” said Rupp. “Hats off to them.”

 

Wheaton’s next drive featured a combination of rushes and passes, 6 and 5 respectively, not allowing the Grizzly defense to concentrate on Gingg. Sean Norris threw a six-yard touchdown pass to Mike Burttucci to finish the drive and take a 24-10 lead. Norris completed five of his six passes on that drive.

 

Rupp’s 17-yard scramble kept the last Grizzly drive of the half going, but Franklin would eventually have to settle for three points. Magdalinos kicked a 34-yard field goal with 17 seconds remaining in the half to cut the halftime deficit to 24-13.

 

The Grizzly defense forced the first Thunder punt of the game to start the third quarter. But the Grizzly offense gave the ball right back. Wheaton’s Mike McKinney picked off a Rupp pass and returned it to the Franklin 39 yard-line to set up the offense.

 

Gingg ran 44 yards – after a false start penalty – in four plays to score. The touchdown run went for seven yards and increased the Thunder lead to 31-13.

 

“Big physical offensive line up front and a big strong back,” said Leonard.

 

“Put those things together and that’s tough to defend, especially with a quarterback who was accurate and efficient even with the few times that he threw it.”

 

This time Franklin answered. The Grizzlies drove 73 yards in 11 plays, finishing with a four-yard Rupp run. The Grizzlies then went for two and converted on a Rupp pass to Deffner to pull within 10.

 

That’s as close as the Grizzlies would get, though.

 

Ittersagen returned the ensuing kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown: 38-21.

 

The Grizzlies attempt to answer faltered when Wheaton’s Steve Pagh sacked Rupp for a loss of seven yards. After an incomplete pass on third down, Franklin punted.

 

The Grizzly defense then forced a three-and out to return the ball to Franklin. And even though the Grizzly offense was able to move the ball, an interception by Grant Roszkowiak – Rupp’s third interception thrown in the game – sent it back to the sidelines empty-handed.

 

Even with Gingg sidelined due to injury, Wheaton was able to move the ball on the ground on its next drive, milking the clock every step of the way. Backup running back Andrew Hershey took over. Wheaton ran 16 plays, 13 of which were rushing. The drive yielded no points, ending in a goal line stand by the Grizzly defense. But the damage was done on the clock.

 

It also forced Franklin to begin its drive on its own two yard-line. After earning two first downs –including a pass interference penalty – the Grizzlies turned the ball over on downs on their own 39 yard-line.

 

Wheaton took advantage of the field position by putting together a seven-play touchdown drive to go up 45-21. It was Freddy Ellis who caught the five-yard touchdown pass from Norris.

 

Although they could not come back at this point, the Grizzlies finished strong. Rupp concocted a six-play, 80-yard drive that went for a score. Senior Tony Gregory caught the 20-yard touchdown pass from Rupp to post what would be the final score, 45-28.

 

After a failed onside kick attempt, the Thunder ran out the remaining time on the clock to end the Grizzly season.

 

Franklin’s offense actually gained more yards than Wheaton’s, 446-325. However, Wheaton had a combined 193 kickoff return yards.

 

Rupp completed 30 of the 58 passes he threw for 289 yards and two touchdowns with three interceptions. He also led the team in rushing with 130 yards on 22 attempts. Norris was 11-of-18 for 108 yards and two touchdowns with one interception.

 

Senior Kevin Lynch led the Grizzlies in receiving with 101 yards on eight catches.

 

Lynch is one of 25 seniors on the Franklin roster. Others include captains Rupp, Dan McManus and Joe White.

 

“Those [seniors], I just look up to them so much. As an older guy looking down to them age-wise I look up to them on how they lead others," Leonard said. “It’s been a great senior class that is going to be sorely missed.”

 

“I guess it is what it is,” said Rupp. “But I mean most wins in Franklin College history, two conference championships and I think we got our conference some respect you know … it just burns right now.”