Kessinger football Division guide: Threshers set to face two nationally ranked opponents
A look at each team the Threshers will face, in order of when they play them.
The KCAC schools were split into two divisions for the 2023 season due to Evangel joining the conference and there now being 12 football-playing schools. The winner of each division gets an automatic bid to the NAIA Football Championship Series, meaning there will automatically be two KCAC teams in the postseason.
Bethel heads into divisional play with a 3-3 record against Bissell Division teams. Here’s a look at who the Threshers will take on the rest of the season in the Kessinger Division.
Oct. 14: vs. McPherson
The long-awaited Fall Festival game. After a long day of walking around The Green, Thresher Stadium will be filled with alumni for this matchup. On the offensive side for the Bulldogs a player to watch will be quarterback Tristan Szabo, who has thrown for 1,680 yards already this season with 18 touchdown passes. Szabo was named KCAC Offensive Player of the Week once this season.
Another offensive player to watch will be running back Brysen Kerby. Kerby has four touchdowns in non-divisional play, 291 total yards rushing, and an average of 5.3 yards per carry. McPherson heads into the showdown following the universal bye week with a 4-2 record. Its most notable loss occurred on Sep. 9 against Saint Mary with a final score of 36-32. The Threshers defeated the Spires the week before, 45-22. The Bulldogs’ most notable win came in a 51-17 opening-day thumping of Tabor. Bethel lost 31-21 to the Bluejays last week.
Oct. 21: at No. 7 Southwestern
Southwestern comes into divisional play hot with an undefeated record of 6-0. The Moundbuilders are also currently ranked No. 7 in the NAIA top 25 poll. Their most notable win came on Sep. 9 when they defeated Kansas Wesleyan, 24-3. No individual stats are available for the Moundbuilders. Their quarterback, Braden Howell, was named KCAC Offensive Player of the Week once.
Oct. 28: vs. Friends
The hype for this game has already been building for months and the emotions will be running wild in the Stone Zone. Not only is it Senior Day for the Threshers, but two familiar faces will be returning to Thresher Stadium, this time suited up for the Falcons.
One of these faces will be a key player for Friends in Trey Palmer, who was a three-time All-American during his time at Bethel. He’s had just one interception this season, however, along with a punt return touchdown and 17 total tackles. The other ex-Thresher is three-time All-American offensive lineman Keegan Martin, now suited up in red.
Another key player for the Falcons will be quarterback K’Vonte Baker, who has thrown for 289 yards and rushed for 669. Baker has completed four touchdown passes and run for 14 touchdowns, all while having three interceptions on his resume. Baker and Palmer have both been KCAC Player of the Week for their respective sides of the ball once this season.
Friends finished non-divisional play 5-1 with its only loss against Kansas Wesleyan, 35-28, on Sep. 16. Their most notable win came on Sep. 2 when they rolled over Ottawa 49-20. Bethel lost to the Braves the next week, 28-24.
Nov. 4: at Bethany
The Swedes enter divisional play sitting at 1-5 on the season. Their lone win came on Sep. 9 against Tabor with a 28-17 final score. Bethany’s most notable loss was a 46-23 defeat against Avila on Aug. 26. The Threshers beat the Eagles on the road, 42-26, later on in non-divisional play.
A player to watch in this matchup will be first-year quarterback Landry Shields, who in his freshman campaign has thrown for 696 yards and just five touchdowns. On defense, linebacker Calvin Geans has had 20 solo tackles and 14 assisted tackles along with four sacks this season.
Nov. 11: at No. 18 Evangel
The Threshers will take their first road trip to Springfield, Mo. to battle against Evangel for the first time after the Valor joined the KCAC this year. Fighting for a spot in the postseason, however, isn’t new to Evangel as they come from the Heart of America Conference.
The Valor has some weapons on offense, one of them being quarterback RJ Wakley, who threw for 1266 yards and 15 touchdowns in non-divisional play. Two other key offensive players will be running back Eric Williams, who has rushed for seven touchdowns and 568 yards, and wide receiver Dillon Hester, who has received for 586 yards and eight touchdowns.
On defense, linebacker Bradley Myers has accumulated 29 solo tackles and 42 assisted tackles. Evangel comes into divisional play sitting at 6-0 and No. 18 in the country. Its most notable win came on Aug. 26 against Kansas Wesleyan — which was ranked 20th in the nation at the time — 17-7.
Analysis: Bethel Threshers
One star player for the Threshers this season has been quarterback DJ Ciers, who has only missed half a game against Kansas Wesleyan. Ciers leads the team in rushing yards with 728 and 10 rushing touchdowns. Ciers also has 495 passing yards and eight touchdown passes on his resume.
Wide receiver Trevon Madison has been a recent standout for Bethel as he has 200 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns. Linebackers Tate Seabolt and Kade Miller have 37 and 34 tackles, respectively. Miller tacks on two interceptions returned for touchdowns to his stats as well. He received KCAC Defensive Player of the Week honors earlier in the season.
The Threshers sit at 3-3 currently. Their most notable win was on Sep. 16 against Avila, which was the only squad to defeat Bethel in 2022, by a dominant 42-26 score. Their most notable loss came in the last week of non-divisional play when they fell to then-winless Tabor, 31-21.
In the first of just two remaining home games for the Threshers, they take on McPherson for Fall Fest on Oct. 14 at 6 p.m. at Thresher Stadium.