Carroll University Athletics

WAUKESHA, Wis. - The Carroll University football team lost to No. 22-ranked Wheaton College 71-0 in a cold, overcast College Conference of Illinois-Wisconsin season finale at Schneider Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
It was the fourth loss to a nationally ranked opponent this season for Carroll, which dropped its eighth straight to finish with a 1-7 record in the conference standings and 1-9 overall.
Wheaton, 6-2 in conference and 8-2 overall, outscored the Pioneers 38-0 in the first half, including 10 unanswered points in what became a decisive opening quarter.
Senior Stefan Knoerr kicked the winning 38-yard field goal with 8:39 remaining in the first quarter to cap an 11-play, 31-yard opening drive.
Senior running back Sola Olateju rushed 25 times for a career-high 273 yards and four touchdowns to lead Wheaton, which amassed 25 first downs and 585 yards of total offense.
With the standout individual performance, Olateju became the leading rusher in Wheaton school history with 3,194 yards.
Junior quarterback Jesse Furrow completed 14 of 21 passes for 236 yards and two touchdowns for the Thunder, who averaged 9.9 yards per play and converted on all six of its red-zone opportunities.
Senior defensive end Chase Greenlee had a team-high eight tackles with five sacks to spark the Wheaton defense, registering the second-highest single-game sack total in NCAA Division III this season.
Senior backup quarterback Noah Strasser (Silver Lake, Wis.), who replaced freshman starter Michael Johnson (Milwaukee, Wis.) in the second quarter, completed 6 of 11 passes for 59 yards for Carroll - which generated 11 first downs and 125 total yards in the emotional Senior Day contest. Senior fullback Ryan Frye (Fairfax, Va.) rushed 14 times for 45 yards for the Pioneers.
Senior wide receiver Brandon Ehrke (Deerfield, Wis.), a second-team all-conference selection last year, was limited to one catch for 45 yards in his final game for Carroll, finishing the season with 42 receptions for a team-high 743 yards and six touchdowns.
Junior wide receiver Parker Zitzke (Waukesha, Wis.) had a game-high seven catches for the Pioneers, ending the season with 63 catches for 501 yards and three touchdowns. 
Junior defensive back Colin Shepley (Northfield, Minn.) had a team-high eight tackles for the Carroll defense. Freshman linebacker Justin Kontny (Milwaukee, Wis.) followed with seven tackles and junior safety Cameron Cassaro (Caledonia, Ill.) had six tackles with an interception. Senior defensive tackle Ethan Molisee (Brookfield, Wis.) added four tackles with a sack.
"This day will by no means define the career of our seniors," said Carroll head coach Mark Krzykowski, referring to Strasser, Frye, Ehrke, Molisee, wide receiver Matt Neerdaels (Phillips, Wis.), wide receiver Lucas Luedtke (Cudahy, Wis.), cornerback Michael Horton (DeForest, Wis.), running back J.J. Keels (Melbourne, Fla.), linebacker Andrew Danculovich (Cudahy, Wis.), tight end Jarrett Fintel (Waukesha, Wis.), linebacker Eric Meilahn (Boca Raton, Fla.), offensive line Patrick Barrett (Waukesha, Wis.), offensive lineman Nick Crivello (Hales Corners, Wis.), tight end Michael Langenohl (Hales Corners, Wis.) and defensive end Neil Driscoll (Wilmot, Wis.). "They will truly be missed. All of their effort and contributions will not go to waste as the program continues to build and takes the next step forward.
"In the end, we have work to do but we're going to conduct ourselves with class, respect our opponents and use this experience as a motivator for the future."