Aurora University Athletics

The Aurora University Spartan football team had a lot to celebrate on Saturday afternoon at Spartan Athletic Park. The 2023 senior class was recognized in front of AU football alumni who returned home during a pregame ceremony, the AU defense had a shutout performance while senior kicker Matthew Hylek went three-of-three in field goals including a new record 48-yard kick on the way to a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Championship clinching victory over the Falcons of Concordia University Wisconsin.


FINAL SCORE: Aurora University 23, Concordia University Wisconsin 0
LOCATION: Spartan Athletic Park - Montgomery, Illinois
RECORDS: Aurora University 10-0 overall (8-0 NACC); Concordia University Wisconsin 7-3 overall (6-2 NACC)


- AU improved their unbeaten streak in the NACC to 38 games.
- The Spartans won their fifth straight NACC title and 11th conference championship in program history (first conference season in 1998).
- The 2023 NCAA Division III football playoffs will be the eighth appearance for AU.


- The defenses from both sides were alive and well in the first quarter with the Spartan defense allowing just 27 yards in three CUW drives.
- After the opening 15 minutes of action the score remained 0-0
- Just before the end of the first quarter, James Mautino had a 23-yard punt return to near midfield to set up the AU offense.
- On the second play of the second quarter, Jhe'Quay Chretin dashed for 28-yards to set up a first and goal.
- One play later, Ian Luyando found Trey Madsen in the end zone from five yards out and AU led 7-0.
- The AU defense continued to keep a firm grip on the CUW offense, forcing punts on two drives and a stop on fourth down on the other.
- The turnover on downs would et up the AU offense near midfield. 
- After Luyando connected on a 23-yard strike to Mautino, the offense stalled but set up Spartan history.
- Kicker Matthew Hylek connected on a 48-yard field goal, the longest in AU football program history and the Spartans led 10-0.
- 10-0 would be the AU lead as the teams headed to halftime.
- Coming out of halftime the visitors had their best drive of the game to this point, 12-plays for 52 yards but the AU defense stiffened and forced a turnover on downs.
- On the third play it appeared the the Spartans had taken a 17-0 lead when Trey Madsen made an insane one handed catch behind his head while leaping and dashed the rest of the way for a 65-yard score but a holding call nullified the play.
- But the very next play, a Luyando pass was deflected at the line while intended for Mautino. Mautino snatched the redirected ball and turned on the burners for a 52-yard gain to the CUW 24.
- Following another AU penalty, Luyando hit a streaking Michael Boland who dove into the end zone to cap off a 29-yard catch and run for the touchdown.
- AU led 17-0 early in the third quarter.
- Jaylen Jordan would put the offense in the red zone to start their next drive after he intercepted a pass from his defensive tackle position.
- Luyando hit Mautino on the first play for 18 yards with Mautino appearing to get in the end zone on the play but was ruled down at the one.
- After a pair of rushing losses and an incompletion, Hylek converted his second field goal of the day, this one from 37-yards out and AU led 20-0.
- The Spartans defense again forced a CUW punt with this one only going 18-yards to the 48-yard line.
- Three consecutive completions, two to Cole Jackson and another leaping grab by Madsen, this one along the sidelines that he got both feet down for a first down set up the Spartans at the CUW 13.
- The drive would end up stalling though and Hylek connected on his third field goal of the day, his second from 37-yards and AU now led 23-0 as time expired in the third quarter.
- Each team had two possessions in the fourth quarter, trading punts to start before the defense for the Spartans held off a long CUW drive with a turnover on downs. 
- Spartan Robbie Peterson stuck the Falcon receiver to force the turnover on downs, stopping him a yard shy of a first-down chance.
- The AU offense then ran the final six minutes of game clock off the scoreboard, running 12-plays for 86 yards down to the CUW one-yard line before time would expire.
- When the clock hit 0:00, AU celebrated the 23-0 win and the 2023 NACC Football Title.


Rushing:
 - Carries: Jhe'Quay Chretin (27) 
 - Yards: Jhe'Quay Chretin (142)
Passing:
- Ian Luyando (22-of-33 for 268 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions)
Receiving:
 - Catches: James Mautino (8) and Trey Madsen (5) 
 - Yards: James Mautino (119) 
 - Touchdowns: Trey Madsen and Michael Boland (1)
Defense:
- Tackles: Marcellus Romious (14), Christian Bower (9) and Ernesto Ramirez (8)
- Sacks: Isaiah Perrin (1.5), Otis Watts and Deuce Moore (1.0)
- Interceptions: Jaylen Jordan (1)