No. 12 Aurora Hands Eureka First Loss, 70-10

AURORA, Ill. – No. 12 Aurora handed the Eureka football team its first loss of the 2023 season on Saturday, pulling away for a 70-10 win.

The Red Devils struck first, executing on their first drive of the game, but the game spiraled out of their control from there.

The 4-0 Spartans answered on the next drive to tie the game at 7-7, then recorded an interception and another score soon after. It was part of an impressive stretch in the first half in which the home team scored 49 unanswered points.

Eureka kicker Steven Bartkus (Seneca, Ill./Seneca) converted his second field goal of the season – a 34-yarder – before the end of the first half to end the run.

The Red Devils' other score came at the end of a six-play, 75-yard drive at the beginning of the game. Quarterback Kaeden Frazier (Clarkston, Wash./Clarkston/Presentation) completed it with a five-yard touchdown pass to top receiver Sebastian Hill (Pekin, Ill./Pekin).

It was Hill's sixth of the season, and it was proceeded by a career first. With Eureka sitting at its own 27 yard line, Frazier received the snap and handed it off to Hill who swept to the right and fired downfield to a wide-open Evan Jakobic (Nashville, Tenn./Hillwood).

It was the first career pass for the wide receiver, and it nearly resulted in a touchdown as Jakobic got dragged down inside the five-yard line. Two plays later, the Red Devils were on the board.

It was a great start, but the Spartans used their potent combination of skill, athleticism and execution in all three phases to make sure the flame didn't spread.

By the end of the day, they had tallied 521 yards of total offense while holding Eureka to 153. Quarterback Ian Luyando threw for 306 yards and six touchdowns on 14-of-19 passing. Running back Jhequay Chretin rushed for 101 yards on 16 carries and scored twice.

For Eureka, fifth-year seniors Jack Arnett (Princeville, Ill./Princeville) and Brendan Durr (Washington, Ill./Washington) each had a team-high seven total tackles. Austin Hopkins (Arcola, Ill./Arcola) and Wyatt Perkins (Trivoli, Ill./Farmington Central) each had six.

Eureka (4-1, 2-1 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference) is off next week. The Red Devils will return to McKinzie Field on Oct. 14 to host Wisconsin Lutheran (1-4, 1-2 NACC) for Homecoming.