WLC Blitzes Eureka With Big Second Half

Box Score EUREKA, Ill. (WLCSports.com) - Wisconsin Lutheran College erased a 14-0 deficit for the second straight week by scoring 35 unanswered points in the second half en route to a 51-35 NACC road win over Eureka on Saturday at McKinzie Field.

The Warriors (3-4, 3-2 NACC), who've scored at least 50 points in consecutive games for the first time in program history, trailed 14-0 after the first quarter as the Red Devils (2-6, 2-4 NACC) took advantage of a short field on each of their first two scoring drives.

WLC found the end zone for the first time in the opening minute of the second quarter when senior Justin Parbs (Milwaukee, Wis.) took a handoff around the right side for a 33-yard touchdown. Two possessions later, freshman Nate Griffeth (Brighton, Colo.) hooked up with junior Carter Schneider (Jefferson, Wis.) for a 14-yard touchdown to knot the score at 14-14.

EC capped another short scoring drive with just 0:25 seconds left before halftime on a 23-yard touchdown pass to take a 21-14 halftime lead over Wisconsin Lutheran.

The Warriors scored five unanswered touchdowns to start the second half and take control of the game. Back-to-back touchdown runs by Parbs from 10 and one yard gave WLC its first lead of the game at 28-21 with 4:29 left in the third quarter.

Senior Jordan Jewell (Hartford, Wis.) hauled in an 11-yard touchdown from Griffeth to close the third-quarter scoring, and junior Trevion Green (Miami, Fla.) was on the receiving end of a six-yard touchdown from Griffeth less than three minutes into the fourth quarter as the lead doubled to 42-21.

Parbs posted his fourth touchdown of the game when he out-ran Eureka's defense for an 86-yard touchdown with 9:57 left in the contest. Freshman Davion Towns (Pensacola, Fla.) tallied the team's final two points when he returned a blocked PAT the other way for two points at the 8:32 mark.

Parbs finished with a career-high 208 yards on the ground and four touchdowns, Griffeth completed 18-of-30 passing attempts for 167 yards and three touchdowns, and Green grabbed seven passes for 76 yards and a score. 

Three players posted double-digit tackles, led by senior Ty Castillo's (San Antonio, Texas) game-high 12. Freshman Layson Handwork (Merritt, Island, Fla.) and sophomore Savon Goodwin (New Orleans, La.) tallied 11 and 10, respectively. Senior Jake Antczak (Mukwonago, Wis.) and sophomore Connor Martin (Chino, Calif.) each intercepted a pass.

Sebastian Hill hauled in six passes for 143 yards and three touchdowns for the Red Devils. Brendan Durr and Donovan Hathaway had nine tackles apiece.

The Warriors play their final home game of the 2022 season next Saturday when they host Concordia Chicago (2-5, 1-4 NACC) for Senior Day at 1 p.m. Live coverage links will be available at WLCSports.com.