ROCK ISLAND, Ill. -- Wheaton and Carthage tied for the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin football title in 2004, extending one streak and breaking another.

The Thunder of head coach Mike Swider won the league championship for the third consecutive season and the 13th time in school history. Carthage, with Tim Rucks at the helm, won its first football championship in 31 years. The last time the Redmen wore the league crown was in 1973 when legendary coach Art Keller was still patrolling the sidelines in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

The two teams met on October 30 in Kenosha and Carthage claimed a 39-21 victory. With that win the Redmen put the league title up for grabs and the next week an Augustana loss at North Central forced a three-way deadlock between Carthage, Augustana and Wheaton. Carthage, which had lost 35-0 at Augustana on October 9, needed to win over Elmhurst on the last day and have Wheaton win at Augustana. The Redmen clubbed Elmhurst 49-14 and the Thunder beat Augustana 39-38 when Swider went for a two point conversion after scoring in the final minute. The successful run for two by quarterback Jeremy Chupp proved to be the difference in the game and the standings.

Carthage earned the NCAA Division III automatic berth into the playoffs by virtue of the earlier win over Wheaton and the Thunder were selected as an at large representative. It was the first time since 1989 that the CCIW had two teams in the playoffs.

Carthage runningback Dante Washington was the winner of the "Art Keller Offensive Player of the Year" while linebacker Lenny Radtke of North Central won the "Don Larson Defensive Player of the Year". The "Bob Reade Coach of the Year" honor went to Tim Rucks.