Box Score Oct. 26, 2013 - This afternoon's Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference's football game at Vago Field in Aurora pitted two teams who have put many points on the scoreboard in recent weeks. That would be the case again today, but the host Aurora University Spartans built a 21-point first-half lead and were able to hold off the Concordia University Chicago Cougars by a final score of 47-33.

Aurora took the opening kickoff and went to work immediately behind the running of Jake Apple. His first two carries went for 31 yards, and Apple later ran the ball in from the 10-yard line to give the Spartans a 7-0 lead just three minutes into the game.

Concordia could not pick up a first down on their first two series, and Aurora soon took advantage. The Spartans continued to churn up some yards on the ground, but it was a 19-yard pass play - Jace Koerner to Camerhon Guyton - that put the home team up 14-0.

It was the special teams unit that made the first big play of the game for the visitors. Nelyja Floyd (West Palm Beach, FL/Park Vista) fielded the ensuing kickoff and ran it back 80 yards for the touchdown. The extra point by Danny Colapietro (Norridge, IL/Maine South) was good to make the score Spartans 14, Cougars 7 with 3:39 remaining in the quarter.

The Spartans answered early in the second quarter. Koerner hit tight end Ryan Mizgate on a big 39-yard completion for the key play to the drive. Later, on a first down from the 11, Koerner called his own number and scrambled in for the touchdown and a 21-7 lead.

Aurora extended their lead with another long drive and a little bit of luck. The Spartans marched from their own 24 to the Cougars' 16. From there, Koerner hit Michael Ghanem who rumbled to the one. Abdias Corgelas (Fort Myers, FL/H.S.) caught Ghanem and knocked the ball loose, but Aurora's Mizgate was first to the ball and recovered it for the score. Fernando Albarran kicked the extra point, and the Cougars were looking up at a 21-point deficit.

An interception by C.J. Pasley (St. Louis, MO/Lutheran North) gave the Cougars new life late in the half, and they made good on the takeaway. C.J. Woodford (Detroit, MI/John Glenn) carried twice for 21 yards, taking the ball down to the nine. Ryan Fischbach (St. Charles, IL/St. Charles North) then fired to Elijah Walker (Hobart, IN/H.S.) for the touchdown, the third time in the past two weeks the tandem has hooked up.

The Cougars were within 28-14 with 1:16 left, and they had a chance to narrow the gap even further when Bryndon Williams (Frot Wayne, IN/Concordia Lutheran) picked off Koerner and returned the interception to the CUC 44. Concordia made it down to the Aurora 28, but Fischbach was intercepted on the final play of the half, leaving the Cougars trailing by 14 after 30 minutes.

Concordia received the second-half kickoff, but a fumble gave the ball right back to the home team. Aurora made the turnover hurt as they scored on Koerner's four-yard pass to Mizgate and stretched the lead back to 21.

Midway through the quarter, Fischbach led the Cougars on a 62-yard drive. The freshman quarterback hit Floyd for 33 yards and Nick Awrey (Marquette, MI/Saginaw Nouvel Catholic) for eight yards. From the 20, Fischbach found Woodford for the six points. The extra point was missed, leaving the score at 35-20 Aurora.

The Spartans returned to their rushing game and ate up the final six minutes of the third quarter as they moved steadily downfield. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Fernando Albarran made good on a 23-yard field goal for an 18-point lead.

Concordia punted on their next possession but looked to have Aurora pinned deep in its own end. However, Koerner connected with Jaylen Robinson down to the two-yard line for a gain of 76 yards. The defense held, but Albarran was good on a chip-shot field goal for a 41-20 lead. Moments later, a fumbled kickoff return gave the ball back to the Spartans, and they converted on Apple's 22-yard run. Sang Lee (Tucson, AZ/Canyon Del Oro) blocked the extra point, but the Cougars were still looking up a 47-20 deficit with 8:16 remaining.

The Cougars did not stop coming at the Spartans, however as Acusio Bivona (Los Angeles, CA/Hamilton) led two late scoring drives. On the first drive, Bivona hit his first four passes including 17 yards to Floyd and 16 to Michael Brown (Modesto, CA/Johansen). Concordia got down to the five from where Bivona found Walker for the score, narrowing the gap to 47-27.

An onside kick was recovered by the Cougars, allowing for one final possession. Bivona connected with Brown for 39 yards, taking the ball inside the 10. Moments later from the seven, Bivona found Floyd for the final points of the game as time expired (no extra point attempted).

Concordia's quarterbacks combined for 256 passing yards on a combined 20-31. However, the rushing game was held to a net 79 yards, led by Woodford's 67 on 10 carries. Floyd was CUC's top receiver with six catches for 75 yards.

Defensively, A.J. Seidler (West Chicago, IL/H.S.) was credited with eight tackles. Marcus Frazier (Chicago, IL/Evergreen Park) added six tackles, all solo.

Aurora amassed 506 yards of offense. Koerner had 244 of the Spartans' 255 passing yards on 14-27. Apple led the rushing game with 148 of the team's 251 yards.

Concordia (1-6, 1-2 NACC) returns to action next Saturday when they host Benedictine University at noon.