burse
Ann Leppke
30
Quincy QU 3-6 , 3-4
56
Winner McKendree MCK 7-2 , 5-2
Quincy QU
3-6 , 3-4
30
Final
56
McKendree MCK
7-2 , 5-2
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
QU Quincy 0 14 3 13 30
MCK McKendree 14 7 7 28 56

Game Recap: Football | | Brendan Bittner

McKendree Pulls Away From Quincy in Fourth Quarter

QUINCY, Ill. – The Quincy University football team lost in its penultimate game of the season on Saturday (Nov. 7) afternoon, falling to host McKendree, 56-30, in Lebanon, Ill.
 
Both teams had five scoring drives through the early portions of the fourth quarter, but the Bearcats (7-2, 5-2 GLVC) pulled away with three late touchdowns to secure the win.
 
The Hawks played the entire second half without its fifth-year starting quarterback Nick Lonergan (Jacksonville, Ill.), who exited in the second quarter with a lower leg injury. He is expected to play in next week's season finale.
 
Redshirt-freshman Robbie Kelley (Rochester, Ill.) filled in admirably in his first extended time under center. He finished 15-for-21 through the air for 223 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 61 yards on nine carries. Kelley did not commit a turnover.
 
Quincy (3-6, 3-4 GLVC) rushed for 264 yards in the game – its highest total of the season as four rushers picked up at least 32 yards on the ground. Freshman Darius Burse (Chicago, Ill./Morgan Park) led that crew with 89 yards on 20 carries.
 
The QU offensive line was impressive against the top pass rush in the nation. The Hawks kept their quarterbacks upright, not allowing a sack to a defense that averages more than four per contest.
 
The Hawks trailed 14-0 after the first quarter against a high-octane offense led by senior dual-threat quarterback Isaac Fisher. Fisher, ranked fourth in the GLVC in rushing yardage and leading the league in passing, chewed up 412 yards of total offense (116 rushing, 296 passing).
 
Quincy got on the board midway through the second quarter as the offense held the ball for nine minutes, 29 seconds and used 21 plays to drive 82 yards. Senior fullback Greg Eilerman (Fenton, Mo./Vianney) scored from three yards out for his first career rushing touchdown. It was his first carry of the season. The Hawks were 4-for-4 on fourth downs on the drive.
 
Fisher's 31-yard run capped an eight-play drive for McKendree on the ensuing possession before Kelley engineered a 10-play, 73-yard drive that cut the host's lead to 21-14. Kelley hit sophomore Jake Braskett (Wonder Lake, Ill./McHenry) on a 17-yard touchdown to end the drive.
 
The Bearcats held that 21-14 lead heading into the intermission. Quincy took the opening possession of the second half and Kelley completed a pair of third down passes to sophomore tight end Owen Schoenenberger (Evansville, Wis.) to move the Hawks into the red zone. The drive stalled from there, but senior Blake Allison (Decatur, Ill./St. Teresa) booted a 28-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 21-17.
 
The QU defense could not get the stops it needed to give the offense a chance to take the lead as the Bearcats responded to each Quincy score in the second half. McKendree was 10-for-12 on third downs and converted its only fourth-down try against an injury-depleted QU defense. The Hawks played without five starters on that side of the ball. Quincy's top four tacklers were true freshmen.
 
Trailing 28-17, sophomore Chris Harris (Springfield, Ill./Sacred Heart Griffin) pounded in his seventh rushing touchdown of the season on the first play of the fourth quarter. That cut McKendree's lead to 28-24.
 
The Bearcats used a short field after a long kickoff return to march in on four plays on their next drive to make it 35-24.
 
Kelley responded with their shortest possession of the game as the redshirt-freshman made a perfect throw down the seam and hit junior De'Carlos Poole (Springfield, Ill.) in stride for a 67-yard touchdown on the Hawks' only play of the drive. The Hawks' two-point conversion failed and QU trailed 35-30 with 13:18 to play.
 
McKendree, which punted only one time, scored on its next possession as Shayeen Edwards rushed in from 14 yards out.
 
The Bearcats then forced a three-and-out and went on to score the next two touchdowns to provide the final margin.
 
McKendree out-gained Quincy, 605-504, in the game, despite Quincy holding the ball for 38 minutes, 55 seconds.
 
Harris rushed for 73 yards on 21 carries, including a touchdown. Schoenenberger was the top receiver, catching six passes for 79 yards, while Braskett added four receptions for 52 yards.
 
Edwards joined Fisher as the other McKendree rusher over 100 yards, running for 110 on 11 carries and three touchdowns. Fisher was 20-for-29 for 296 yards and also caught a touchdown pass from wide receiver Sean Dowling, who led the receiving corps with seven catches for 151 yards.

Freshman linebacker Clayton Cole (Weatherby Lake, Mo./Park Hill) led the defense with eight tackles. Freshman cornerback Christopher Parker (Chicago, Ill./Morgan Park), freshman safety Shane Barrett (St. Peters, Mo./Fort Zumwalt East) and freshman linebacker Cody Leonard (Carrollton, Ill.) had seven stops apiece.
 
The Hawks will return to the field next Saturday (Nov. 14) when they travel to Rolla to take on Missouri S&T (4-5, 4-3 GLVC). Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m.
 
QU
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