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Bethel’s Terrance Bell
leaps through a hole in the line for a gain
against the 13th ranked Mid-American
Nazarene Pioneers in the Wildcat’s 55-34
victory in the First Round of the NAIA
Football Championship Series. Bell had 124
yards on 21 carries and two touchdowns.
With the win, Bethel will be hosting The
University of St. Francis (Ind.) on
Saturday, November 24, 2007 at 2:30
p.m. Pre-Ordered tickets are $10.00 for
adults and $5.00 for students with valid
identification. Tickets may be pre-ordered
by calling 731-352-6248.
MCKENZIE, Tenn. (November 18, 2007) – The
Bethel College Wildcats, making their second
consecutive playoff appearance and second in
school history, made a statement as they
dispatched the 13th ranked Mid-America
Nazarene University Pioneers of Olathe, Kan.
55-34 in the First Round of the NAIA
Football Championship Series. The ‘Cats
defense was able to hold the nation’s fourth
ranked offense 137 yards below their average
of 515 yards per game and the offense
exploded for 607 yards on the night. Bethel
led by 10 points at the half but completely
dominated the second half and won the game
more convincingly than the final score
showed.
Bethel set the tone early as they took the
opening kickoff and marched 80 yards on 12
plays for the first score of the afternoon.
Adrain Smith, who is ranked #2 in the nation
in scoring coming into the game, powered his
way in from the nine yard line. The drive’s
key play was a 19-yard pass from Ronnie
Jankovich to tight end Buck Reed on third
and seven from the MNU 35. Matt Wininger
kicked the PAT for a 7-0 Wildcat lead. The
Pioneers showed why their offense was ranked
fourth in the nation as they responded with
a 65-yard, 10-play drive, ending with Pat
Ealy diving in from three yards out to tie
the score 7-7. Bethel replied as Terrance
Bell found the end zone from seven yards
out; that capped off a 10-play, 80-yard
drive, but the extra point was missed for a
13-7 Bethel lead.
The Pioneers drove to the Bethel 31 as the
second quarter began and as MNU’s
quarterback Matt Schneider threw for the end
zone, Bethel’s BJ Banks picked off his first
of two passes on the day ending the threat.
Bethel cashed in on the turnover as Antonio
Brown, Sr. took the direct snap and ran an
option play right for a 12-yard score.
Jankovich found Reed on a two point try and
Bethel was in front 21-7. After exchanging
possessions, the Pioneers were on the move
and scored with 33 second left in the half.
Bethel did manage to work themselves into
field goal position and Wininger nailed a 37
yarder as time expired for a 24-14 halftime
score.
The game got quite interesting as the second
half of play opened. On the Pioneer’s
second play, Ealy looked as though he was
going to be tackled behind the line, but
broke free, ran 69 yards for a touchdown and
tightened the score 24-21 Bethel. Bethel’s
following drive stalled on the MNU 12 yard
line and Wininger booted a 29-yard field
goal for a 27-21 ‘Cat lead. Bethel struck
quick on its next possession as Jankovich
hit Joevaris Carter in stride for a 52-yard
touchdown. After the PAT by Wininger,
Bethel led 34-21. The Bethel defense held
again and the offense went back to work.
First and ten on the MNU 17 and Jankovich
found freshman tight end Banarvon Taylor for
the score and a 41-21 lead. Banks
intercepted his second pass of the game on
the Pioneer’s first play as the third
quarter came to an end.
As Bethel faced third and nine from the MNU
24, Jankovich hit Brown Sr. for the score.
After the PAT, Bethel led 48-21. Bethel’s
defense was up to the task again and as MNU
tried to punt, a Bethel player leapt into
the air and was pushed into the kicker by a
MNU player. A personal foul of roughing the
kicker was called that resulted in an
automatic first down extending the Pioneer’s
drive. One the next play, Schneider threw
his third interception of the game as
Brennen Bishop stepped in front. But Bishop
turned the ball right back over as he tried
to get a return going and fumbled. The
Pioneers scored four plays later for a 48-28
score. Jankovich made his only mistake of
the day as he was intercepted in the end
zone ending another Wildcat threat at the
MNU 17. The Bethel defense rose to the
occasion again as the Pioneers were forced
to go for it on fourth and 10. Brenton Ford
put an end to the Pioneers possession
sacking Schneider for a 12-yard loss. Bell
would only need to play to cover the
remaining eight yards and Bethel was
comfortably ahead 55-28. MNU got one more
crack at it. With no time remaining on the
clock Schneider threw into the end zone
where two Wildcats and a Pioneer tried to
make a play on the ball. Bethel was called
for pass interference giving MNU one more
play with no time on the clock from the
Bethel 2 yard line. Schneider called his
own number for the final score 55-34.
Offensively, it was Jankovich’s night as he
went 16 of 19 for 297 yards, three
touchdowns and one interception. He also
ran six times for 39 yards. For his
efforts, he was named the Offensive Player
of the Game. Bell had 124 yards on 21
carries and two touchdowns. Smith had 108
yards on 21 carries and a score. Brown, Sr.
had 28 yards on five carries and one score;
in the receiving end, Brown, Sr. had 67
yards on four catches and 67 yards. Julian
Tyler caught three for 71 yards. Reed had
three catches for 67 yards; Joevaris Carter
67 yards on two grabs and Taylor one catch
for 17 yards and a TD.
Defensively, Bishop had 10 tackles and an
interception. Brenton Ford had 9 tackles,
with one and a half sacks and two tackles
for loss. Chancey DePreist had 6 tackles.
Cliff Barna and BJ Banks each had four
stops. Banks also had two interceptions and
was named the Defensive Player of the Game.
The Wildcats are 11-1, the best record since
football was reinstated in 1993. They will
be hosting a Second Round NAIA Championship
Series game on November 24, 2007. Game time
is slated for 2:30 p.m. The Wildcats will
be receiving word on Sunday night who their
opponent will be and the time of the game. |
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