Senior quarterback Jagan Cleary set a program record with six touchdown passes as the Lake Forest College football team defeated visiting Illinois College 56-27 on Saturday.
Cleary completed 23 of 32 passes for 270 yards and did not throw an interception in the final home game of his career. His six touchdown passes surpassed the previous school record of five, which was accomplished four times, including twice by Cleary. In addition, the four-year starter's 70 career touchdown passes are 15 more than the next-highest total in team annals and his 22 scoring strokes this year rank second on the season list.
Senior wide receiver Chris Edomwande caught seven of Cleary's passes for 108 yards and accounted for two of the scores, one from 17 yards out in the second quarter and the other an 8-yarder in the third. Edomwande now has nine touchdown receptions on the season and 16 in his career, matching the program's seventh-highest mark. Sophomore wideout Chase Allen matched Edomwande's 108 yards on eight catches and eight other Foresters caught at least one pass from one of four quarterbacks who saw action in the game. Two of Cleary's touchdown passes went to senior running back Nick Edlund while senior wide receiver Chase Creviston and junior wideout Ted Crane each hauled in one. The home team's other score through the air was the first in the career of freshman wide receiver Zak Burke and came from junior signal-caller Billy Degnan from seven yards out.
Edlund led the Foresters in rushing with 49 yards on nine carries. Senior Andrew Shweky also carried the ball nine times and covered 25 yards, including one for his first career touchdown to finish off Lake Forest's opening drive.
Junior Michael Bounds was perfect on seven extra point attempts and averaged 43 yards on a pair of punts. Freshman Brett Pine added the extra point on Lake Forest's final touchdown of the afternoon.
On defense Forester freshman linebacker Dom Johnson, freshman safety Anthony Rieck, senior linebacker Charlie Timmerman, and junior defensive end Jordan McInerney shared team-high honors with seven tackles apiece. Timmerman forced a fumble that was recovered by Rieck and additional turnovers came in the form of interceptions by junior linebacker Johnny Laponte and senior nose tackle James Pruitt.
Lake Forest is now 6-3 overall after finishing Midwest Conference South Division play in second place with wins in four of five league games. Illinois College fell to 3-6 overall and 2-3 in the division.
The Foresters will close out the year at the University of Chicago, the second-place team in the MWC North, next Saturday at noon.