WAUKESHA, Wis. - Carroll's football team went toe-to-toe with the number 19 team in Division-III Saturday afternoon, but couldn't complete the upset, falling to Wheaton (IL) College by a score of 22-10 in what was the Pioneers' 2024 home opener. Wheaton outgained the Pios in total offense, 415-243, with Carroll outgaining the Thunder 128-43 on the ground.

Wheaton scored all 10 points in the opening quarter, getting on the board with a 30-yard field goal six minutes into the contest, which was set up by an interception on Carroll's opening drive of the day. The Thunder added a 10-yard touchdown pass from Mark Forcucci to Ben Juska later in the quarter. Carroll would cut into that lead late in the second quarter when Matthew Swink made his first career field goal for the Pios, splitting the uprights from 44 yards away. Wheaton had a chance to score more points at the end of the first half, but a goal line stand of three plays inside the three-yard-line preserved the seven-point deficit as the teams headed to intermission.

The Pios continued to crawl back into the game in the third quarter, embarking on a five-play, 51-yard drive that resulted in a 28-yard touchdown pass from Caden Pendleton to Santiago Rios to tie the score at 10. Wheaton had an answer for that, scoring on a two-yard TD run by Giovanni Weeks, which capped a 13-play, 64-yard drive that used up five and a half minutes. After a 57-yard run by Marcus Johnson on the ensuing possession, Carroll was 30 yards away from tying the score and taking the lead with an extra point. They would turn the ball over on downs however, which allowed the Thunder to drive 69 yards in six plays, scoring on a five-yard pass from Weeks to Juska to put the game out of reach.

Johnson finished with a game-high 83 rushing yards on eight carries (10.4 ypc), while Mikey Coleman added 34 yards on 10 totes. Pendleton added 115 yards through the air, while Reed Breckheimer caught three passes for 31 yards. Defensively, the Pios recovered one fumble, while Jagger Vine recorded the team's only sack. Damon Loker led all tacklers with 11.

A transfer from NCAA Division-I Holy Cross, Forcucci completed 26-of-36 passes for 361 yards and one TD. Weeks finished with 30 yards on 19 carries and one touchdown, while also throwing for a score and catching three passes for 19 additional yards. Ben Bonga was the Thunder's leading receiver with 10 catches for 174 yards, while Juska's six receptions resulted in 61 yards and two scores. Defensively, Max Wilson and Riley Schwartz each recorded an interception, with Chase Smith leading the team in tackles with eight.

The Pioneers will remain at home next week against Millikin in what will be Carroll's annual Homecoming celebration. That game will kickoff Saturday at 2 p.m. from Schneider Stadium.