Falcons drop offensive shootout at Benedictine

LISLE, Ill. - Concordia University Wisconsin led for most of the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference game on Saturday, but Benedictine's second-half comeback ended in a 39-35 decision for the Eagles.

THE BASICS
Final Score: Benedictine 39, Concordia Wisconsin 35
Location: The Sports Complex (Lisle, Ill.)
Records: Benedictine 4-2 (2-0 NACC), Concordia Wisconsin 2-4 (2-1 NACC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
- THe Falcons built a 28-7 advantage just over three minutes into the third quarter behind three touchdown receptions from Ryan Wagner. The rookie wide receiver hauled in a 24, 12 and five yard passes from Aaron Nixon. As well, Bathong Pham caught a 48-yard touchdown midway through the second quarter.
- From then on it was all Benedictine, as the hosts went on a 32-7 scoring run over the next 26 minutes and 49 seconds. The Eagles connection of Ryan Sample to Elijah Walker worked for 16, 18 and 11 yard touchdown strikes, while Jose Santiago kicked a 24-yard field goal and Jake Valas hauled in a 2-yard touchdown pass.
- In addition, Adedeji Giwa caught a 45-yard touchdown from Nixon just under two minutes into the fourth quarter, which at the time pushed the Falcon advantage to 35-24.
- The game featured 952 yards of total combined offense, with the Eagles accounting for 534 of those yards.
- During the second half the Eagles piled on 358 total offensive yards, compared to the Falcons 218. Of those yards, Benedictine had 310  through the air.
- CUW held the lead for the entire game, except for the final four minutes and 46 seconds after Benedictine scored its fourth touchdown through the air.
- Nixon (sophomore, North Prairie, Wis.) led the Falcons with 315 passing yards on 29-of-44 passing for five touchdowns. He also ran for 29 yards on 12 attempts.
- Wagner (freshman, Mukwonago, Wis.) had a career game with three touchdown receptions on eight catches for 78 yards. Junior Dante Edwards (Glendale, Ariz.) added five receptions for 54 yards, while Pham (senior, Miwaukee, Wis.) finished with four catches for 62 yards.
- Senior Andrew Gatz (Adell, Wis.) led CUW with 67 yards on five attempts for a 13.4 yard average.- Freshman Jacob Mason (Hartford, Wis.) booted nine punts for 412 yards, averaging 45.8 yards per kick. He twice pinned the Eagles inside the 20-yard line and had a career-long 69-yard punt.. Mason all five of his PAT attempts.
- Defensively, junior James Thomsen (Mount Prospect, Ill.) recorded a career-high 14 total tackles (two solo), while sophomore Albert Goerlitz (Withee, Wis.) and junior Kevin Kern (Arlington Heights, Ill.) each had nine total tackles. Kern also had 3.5 tackles for loss accounting for 17 yards of lost yardage, two sacks and a blocked kick.
- Senior Aaron Krapfl (Anamosa, Iowa) intercepted the games only pass. He also had three pass breakups.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- The Falcons had nine penalities for 95 yards, which is the most whistles called against them this sason, but the second most yardage.
- CUW held Benedictine to 2-of-14 on third-down conversions, but converted just 5-of-17 third-downs itself.
- The Falcons entered the red zone twice during the game and scored touchdowns on each occassion. However, their defense weren't able to slow down the Eagles who converted 6-of-8 red zone opportunities, with five of those successes ending in a touchdown.
- Benedictine ended the game with a field goal and two touchdowns on its last three posssessions, not counting the final drive to run the clock out.
- Entering the game, Wagner had caught just two balls for 16 yards before exploding for his eight catches for 78 yards and three touchdowns. His three touchdown receptions are tied for the most during head coach Greg Etter's tenure.
- Nixon has now passed for 13 touchdowns over the last three games after recording a touchdown pass in each of the first three games of the season.
- Goerlitz and Malcolm Bowers (Germantown, Wis.) finished with a career-best nine and seven tackles, respectively.- Edwards five catches for 54 yards were both career highs and Giwa's 45-yard receptions with a career long.
- Kern's blocked field goal  was the first of his career.
THE OPPOSITION
- Ryan Sample led the offensive attack with 381 yards passing on 33-of-55 attempts for four touchdowns. He also ran for 43 yards.
- Jesse Kilbourn hauled in 10 catches for 93 yards, while Elijah Walker had nine catches for 129 yards and three touchdowns. Jake Valas also had a touchdown catch, to go along with five receptions for 64 yards.
- Derek Miles gained 96 yards on the ground on 15 attempts for a 6.4 yard average.- Micah McKenhnie led all players with 16 total tackles (five solo), while Jarrett Lecas had 11 total tackles. The Eagles had eight players with at least five total tackles.

NEXT ON THE SCHEDULE
- The Falcons will play their final road game of the season, when they travel to Rockford for a 1 pm Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference game.