Margaret BauerDespite the best efforts of senior quarterback Adam Meranda and junior wide receiver Brad Duesing, the Washington University football team came up short in their game Saturday night against North Central College. The Bears dropped the game, played in Naperville, Illinois, 38-28. Their season record now stands at 1-3.
Meranda passed for 305 yards in the loss. He attempted a school record 55 passes while completing 26 of those and throwing for four touchdowns. Duesing was the recipient of two of those touchdowns; he caught 9 passes for 154 yards on the day. Senior Kevin McCarthy powered the Bears ground game carrying 23 times for 98 yards. In the loss, Meranda and Duesing each inched their way up the University’s record books. Meranda is now seventh place on the all-time passing yards list while Duesing’s two touchdowns left him in seventh place on the all-time scoring list with 142 career points.
North Central began the game by scoring on a 7-play 72-yard touchdown drive. The Bears answered right back though by authoring their own touchdown drive, a 6 yard catch by senior Zak Clark. North Central kept the Bears on their heels, however, with scores on their next two possessions. The Bears matched North Central’s third score of the game with an 80-yard scoring drive at the beginning of the second quarter. The drive was capped off by a touchdown catch by senior Scott Armul. North Central scored one final time in the second quarter to lead 28-14 at the half.
The Bears scored again on their second drive of the second half to bring the game within seven points. On this score, the Bears capitalized on excellent field position; they began their drive on their own 45 yard line thanks to a North Central fumble forced by junior Jared Weis. Duesing finished the drive off with a 20 yard touchdown catch.
North Central scored their final touchdown at the start of the fourth quarter to bring its lead back to 14 points, 35-21. The Bears were promptly thwarted in their efforts to match North Central’s score, losing the ball on an interception and giving North Central outstanding field position in the process. With North Central on the Bears’ own 25 though, the Bears defense responded. Senior John Woock made an interception of his own and the Bears were able to regain the ball just as quickly as they had given it up. The Bears did not waster the opportunity as Meranda led the team on a 65-yard touchdown drive that was capped by Duesing’s second touchdown of the game, a 43-yard reception.
Unfortunately for the Bears, their efforts proved to be too little, too late. North Central added a field goal later in the fourth quarter to send the game out of reach. Ultimately, the high-octane North Central offense was too much for the Bears-despite the fact that North Central played most of the game without Steve Holden, NCAA Division III’s leading rusher, who was injured in the early-going. Even without Holden, North Central showed plenty of firepower. Junior Tyke Spencer set a North Central record with 14 catches for 288 yards while catching three touchdowns.
The Bears will play next Saturday, October 2 against Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee.