By: Sports Editor, Jared Shlensky
North Central defeated the Carthage Red Men 72-20 this past Saturday at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium, improving NCC’s record to 7-0 and 4-0 in conference play.
“It was a huge win, it was homecoming so we wanted to put out a good game in front of our crowd,” said senior middle linebacker Nick Slezak. “A lot of alumni came back from all over the place so we were just focused on playing a great game and it showed.”
Through the first four CCIW games of the season the Cardinals offense has averaged 50 points per game and a minimum of 422 yards of total offense, something Thorne credits to the team’s recently installed no huddle up-tempo offense.
“I think we’re going to get some scores, even though we may not have executed the play perfectly, it’s just that you’re moving so fast that they (defenses) are having a hard time getting different calls in and putting in different players,” said Thorne.
Despite being without at least three of its starting offensive lineman from week one for the past four games, the Cardinals offense has still been effective, something senior right tackle Greg Whalen attributes to NCC’s offensive coaching staff being able to prepare multiple guys to play multiple positions on the offensive line.
“It goes to speak volumes for our coaching,” said Whalen. “It goes to them (coaches) recruiting good guys and coaching everyone up to make sure that we’re all at the same level, all ready to play on Saturday’s.”
One player who has stood out offensively this season is senior quarterback Spencer Stanek, who has scored at least three total touchdowns and thrown for over 200 yards in the team’s first four CCIW games. While Stanek may be more comfortable in the offense this year than in seasons past, Stanek credits the offenses mental approach for why the team has been so successful this season.
“I just think it’s just our mentality going into every game,” said Stanek. “I think it really helps that a lot of us our seniors too.”
While North Central has 21 seniors on its active roster , one underclassmen who has had lots to do with why NCC’s passing attack has been so successful is junior wide receiver Peter Sorenson, who leads the NCC receiving corps with 43 receptions and 587 receiving yards.
“It’s one of the biggest clichés in sports that the game seems to slow down and I can definitely see that this season,” said Sorenson. “When I go out there to lineup it’s not so much what am I running on this play, now I can see the defense and know what I need to do more, which is definitely an advantage for me.”
Meanwhile the Cardinals offense has been just as effective in the running game, as NCC has put up over 300 rushing yards in the last three games and have had a different leader rusher in all three games.
“It’s a lot of fun, defenses are kept guessing, which I think is the most important part,” said junior running back Ryan Kent, who leads NCC’s running attack with 395 yards. “They really have to key on whoever is in the backfield and it doesn’t matter who’s in there, if someone’s tired we have a good replacement.”
Defensively the Cardinals have been just as effective as the team’s offense under first year defensive coordinator Mike Murray.
After giving up 38 total points and forcing just two turnovers in the first two games of the season, the defense has greatly improved, yielding just 41 points and forcing 10 turnovers throughout conference play, something Slezak credits to the defense feeling more comfortable in Murray’s first year defense.
“You’re going to have to get the cobwebs out and it is a new defense so we weren’t used to it,” said Slezak. “But after a few weeks we started clicking on all cylinders and each week you could see that we were clicking more and more, so it’s been really fun.”
Two players who look more comfortable in particular are NCC’s leading tackler Slezak, who transitioned this spring from free safety to middle linebacker along with first-year junior defensive tackle Brian Wilson, who switched from the offensive line two weeks into the 2013 season.
As a result of Wilson now starting at defensive tackle, senior defensive tackle Josh Fick has received less double teams along with allowing senior captain John Focosi to move from defensive tackle back to defensive end.
“Brian Wilson has been a gigantic part of allowing the defense to continue to improve,” said Thorne. “It’s allowed Josh Fick to make tons more plays because people can’t just focus on him because Brian (Wilson) is doing such a great job at the other tackle spot. It’s opened up where we can put our two senior captain defensive ends (Alex Tripp and Focosi) on the field at the same time at their natural positions, which is defensive end. So Brian’s been a huge part of making it work.”
While North Central has made the postseason every year since 2010, senior defensive end Alex Tripp, who has been a contributor on all of those teams dating back to his freshman season in 2010, believes this team in 2013 is the best of them all right now at this point in the season.
“Well it’s absolutely been the best team I’ve been on,” said Tripp. “Just being an all-around solid team is exciting.”
One reason this team may me better than teams of the past is because of its coaching and team chemistry.
“We’ve got really great team chemistry as well as really great coaching chemistry this year, which is the thing you’re always looking for,” said Thorne.
North Central gets back to the gridiron on Saturday against undefeated CCIW rival Illinois Wesleyan, a game that senior tight end A.J. Thomas can’t wait to play in.
“It’s a huge rivalry,” said Thomas. “We love these games, we thrive in these games, we’re so hungry for games like this and we’re just ready to go,” said Thomas.
Kickoff from Tucci Stadium in Bloomington, Ill. is scheduled to get underway at 1 p.m. and can be heard live on WONC, 89.1FM or on the web at either wonc.org or woncsports.wordpress.com
