Damaschke accounts for six touchdowns to lead Football past Aurora

AURORA, Ill. – Austin Damaschke threw for a career-best five touchdown passes and ran for a sixth score to lead Concordia University Wisconsin past Aurora University, 45-31, on Saturday afternoon. The Falcons scored all of their points in the first three quarters of the Northern Athletics Conference matchup.

Damaschke threw for 390 yards, also a career-best, on 26-of-37 passing and added 36 yards rushing on 16 attempts. The sophomore gunslinger from Bristol, Wis., connected with sophomore wide receiver Garrett Wenzelburger (Hartland, Wis.) eight times for career-best 148 yards and three scores.

The highlights did not just belong to the offense though, as three CUW defenders intercepted passes. Junior John Palese (West Bend, Wis.), plus freshmen Markhail Bell (Titusville, Fla.) and Ryan Edleman (Fort Myers, Fla.) each intercepted AU's Jimmy Bevell.

Damaschke found senior wide receiver Erik West (Plymouth, Wis.) for a 66-yard touchdown with 6:21 to play in the first half, giving the Falcons a 28-17 advantage, a double-digit lead they held for the remainder of the game.

The longest scoring drive for CUW (6-3, 5-1 NAC) was an 11-play march that covered two minutes and 59 seconds of the third quarter. The quick-strike Falcons scored on drives that consisted of five, three, six, two, two, 11 and four plays.

Junior Ben Kempen (Malone, Wis.) led the Falcons with 11 tackles, six solo. Senior Anthony Hoitink (Sheboygan, Wis.) and senior Matt Upson (New Berlin, Wis.) added nine tackles apiece.

AU's Bevell converted 24-of-42 passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns, but suffered those three interceptions. The Spartans (4-5, 3-3 NAC) three receivers, Michael Beasley-Hart, Derek Powell, and Brandon Trujillo combined for 18 receptions totalling 200 yards and three touchdowns.

CUW, tied for second in the NAC standings with Wisconsin Lutheran at 5-1, returns to the gridiron for the season finale against WLC at 12 p.m. at Tomasini Stadium on Saturday. The Luther Cup will be up for grabs along with sole possession of second place in the NAC.  Concordia Chicago, 8-0 overall, remained undefeated in league play at 6-0 and will travel to winless Maranatha next Saturday.