Bethel football falls to Kansas Wesleyan
Quarterback DJ Ciers misses second half as Threshers struggle with penalties.
On Saturday the Bethel football team took on the Coyotes of Kansas Wesleyan. After changes at key positions and many penalties, the Threshers fell 24-14, bringing their non-divisional record to 3-2.
Although he started at quarterback, by the third quarter, quarterback DJ Ciers was taken out of the game due to injury and replaced by freshman Russel Dugger who had not played in a varsity contest yet this season.
“I thought Russel did a good job stepping in under the circumstances,” head coach A.B. Stokes said. “Quarterback is one of the toughest positions because of how much you have to analyze pre- and post-snap.”
Early in the first quarter, Ciers connected with star of the game for the Threshers, junior Trevon Madison on a 35-yard touchdown pass. This would be Ciers only touchdown pass of the night.
The Bethel defense struggled in the second quarter, when the Coyotes scored 17 unanswered points to bring their lead to 17-7.
Madison continued to shine in the contest however when he scored his second touchdown of the evening on a 72-yard punt return to bring the Threshers close, 17-14.
After halftime, Ciers would be taken out of the game and Dugger would take his place.
Kansas Wesleyan scored another touchdown just five minutes into the second half. The rest of the game would be slow as that would be the final scoring drive of the game, marking the final score at 24-14.
“Penalties are something that happen throughout games,” Stokes said. “Some are less fortunate than others, but this is a complicated sport and sometimes you have to take the good with the bad. We address what we need to address and trust our guys will get it corrected.”
The Threshers go into their last non-divisional game on Saturday against Tabor in the “Menno-bowl.”
“I accept it [playing against Tabor] as a rivalry game,” Stokes said. “I know this rivalry means a lot to the Bethel community.”
Kickoff is slated against the Bluejays for 2 p.m. in Hillsboro.