Coyotes score 21 unanswered points to post seventh straight win
By: David Toelle, KWU Sports Information

Tight End Drew Phillips prepares to make the catch on his 22-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter of KWU's 21-17 win over Bethel

The first half did not go the way Kansas Wesleyan head coach Dave Dallas expected. A field goal, an 83 yard touchdown pass, and a 68 yard interception return later, the Coyotes were down 17-0 heading into the break.

Dallas wasn’t worried. He calmly led his team out of the locker room and exploded for 21 points in the third quarter, converting two fumbles and a bad snap on a punt as the Coyotes’ scores went unanswered, as the Coyotes held on for a 21-17 win on an extremely blustery afternoon at Martin Stadium.

The Coyotes held Bethel to 255 yards of offense on the day. 120 of those were in the first quarter. After the first, Wesleyan’s defense stiffened, and held the Threshers to 74 yards in the second, only 14 in the third, and 47 in the fourth.

Bethel’s Phillip Baron, the KCAC’s third leading rusher was held in check, with only 51 yards on 19 attempts. Meanwhile, Wesleyan’s Darell Grames recorded his seventh 100-yard rushing game of the season with 158 yards on 42 carries, including a one-yard touchdown run.

The Coyotes also held Bethel’s Peter Garibladi, the KCAC’s second leading receiver in catches per game (5.4) and the leader in receiving yards per game (89.3) to only two catches for 31 yards.

Bethel got on the board first with 8:39 to go in the first quarter, as Michael Montez nailed a 39-yard line drive field goal, barely clearing the cross bar to give Bethel the 3-0 lead.

After a 17-yard Justin Davis punt into the gale force South wind, it only took Bethel signal caller Brett Clow to find Chad Hershberger for an 83-yard catch and run. The Montez kick made it 10-0.

Both teams held each other in check until with 1:09 to go in the first half, Bethel’s Mychal Thompson stepped in front of a Junior Alexis pass intended for Marcus Lowe and took it back 68 yards for a touchdown. With the Montez kick, Bethel led 17-0.

Defensive End Eric Williams (98) battles Bethel's Phillip Barron for the ball after Adam Paredes stripped Bethel quarterback Brett Clow on the opening drive of the second half

After the half, the Coyotes regrouped looking towards their defense for inspiration. On a third down play of Bethel’s opening drive of the half, Adam Paredes stripped Clow of the ball and Eric Williams fell on it giving the Coyotes a short field to work with at the Bethel 37 yard line.

The ensuing Coyote drive appeared to stall at the Bethel 29, but Wesleyan went on fourth down, and Grames got the nose of the ball just past the sticks on the measurement for a first down to keep the drive alive. Three plays later, Alexis found tight end Drew Phillips for a 22-yard scoring strike. The Gary Trione extra point made it 17-7.

Phillip Barron lost the ball on Bethel’s first play of the ensuing drive. This time it was defensive back Brandon Sutton knocking the ball loose allowing Andy Bristow to come up with the ball. Four Darell Grames rushes later, the Coyotes scored again and with the Trione kick, Wesleyan creeped closer at 17-14.

It was the KWU special teams that set up Wesleyan’s third score of the quarter. After Bethel’s drive stalled at their own 39, a bad snap back to punter Andrew Baeza forced him to try to run to the left, but was tackled for a nine yard loss, giving the Coyotes the ball at the Bethel 30.

The Coyotes rode the legs of Darell Grames down the field, only turning to a pass one time, a 13-yard toss from Alexis to Phillips, before facing a fourth and goal at the 1-yard line. After a Wesleyan timeout, senior tailback Jerod Barrett decided to go over the pile, rather than through it, diving into the endzone with 24 seconds to go in the quarter. Trione’s kick gave the Coyotes their first lead of the game at 21-17.

The Coyote defense stepped up in the fourth quarter, sacking Clow three times in the period. The highlight of the quarter again was courtesy of special teams play. Baeza launched a punt high into the south breeze and recorded an 80-yard boot, as the punt hit at about the KWU 20 and blew through the endzone for a touchback.

Bethel appeared to be driving for the game winning score, getting as close as the Coyote 28, before taking a delay of game penalty to set up a hail mary pass. Clow tossed the ball up and let the wind blow it towards Justin Bowie in the back corner of the endzone, but the pass landed about five yards past his outstretched arms, and the Coyotes came away with the 21-17 win.

The Coyotes (7-1 overall, 6-1 KCAC) were led by Darell Grames’ 158 yards rushing on 42 carries, and one touchdown. Jerod Barrett added seven carries for 14 yards and a score. Junior Alexis was 8-for-22 passing for 107 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Only two of those passes came after halftime, both completions to Drew Phillips. Phillips led the receiving corps with three catches for 47 yards and a touchdown. Marcus Lowe had two grabs for 29 yards as well.

Bethel (1-7 overall, 0-7 KCAC) was led in rushing by Phillip Barron who had 51 yards on 19 carries. Beau Cox was the only other Thresher with positive rushing yardage as he had five carries for five yards. Brett Clow had eight carries for minus 11 yards, and Baeza had one carry for a minus-nine, as Bethel could only manage 36 yards rushing for the game. Bethel did do some damage through the air, as Clow was 12-for-23 passing for 219 yards and one touchdown of 83 yards. Steven Morgan also had two passes, one of them an interception.

The Coyotes are at home for their final home game of the year next week against Sterling College. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 PM at Martin Stadium.

-- KWU SI --

	All pictures by Krista Marsicek