| Field goals the difference in Bethel earning first win |
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Posted: Thursday, October 8, 2009 4:07 pm
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Just for kicks — Bethel University's place-kicker Sean Fraser, from New Castle, England, kicks a 40-yard field goal in the Wildcats' 13-3 win over visiting Cumberland University, the first of his two field goals on Saturday night. Photo courtesy Bethe
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MCKENZIE, Tenn. – The Bethel Wildcats came home to the friendly confines of Wildcat Stadium and pulled away in the fourth quarter for their first win of the season, 13-3 over Cumberland University on Saturday.
For the second straight game Josh Boyd ran for more than 100 yards and the defense held Cumberland to 181 total yards, allowing only 43 yards in the second half. The win avenges a stinging 44-16 loss last season at Cumberland.
The first half was slow for both teams as neither got into an offensive rhythm. As the half was coming to a close, Bethel’s Sean Fraser booted a 40-yard field goal to put Bethel up 3-0 with 1:13 left in the half.
But, Cumberland worked into field goal range and Nick Sasser kicked a 45-yarder with time expiring to knot the score at 3-3 at the break.
Bethel took the opening kickoff of the second half and worked it to the Cumberland 14-yard line, but Fraser’s 31-yard field goal missed wide left.
Both teams were still looking for offensive consistency and the Wildcats began to find theirs toward the end of the third quarter. Four plays into the final quarter, Fraser kicked his second field goal of the game from 27 yards out giving Bethel a 6-3 lead. After a defensive stop, Bethel ground it out on the ground with a 15-play drive covering 83 yards ending with Josh Boyd scoring from five yards out. That gave Bethel a 13-3 lead that it would hold onto.
Boyd had 143 yards on 33 carries and a touchdown and one catch for 10 yards. Cordarius Mann had 66 yards on 10 carries. Troy Watson was 9-of-15 for 89 yards passing. John Graham had three catches for 18 yards. Michael Thrasher had two grabs for 47 yards. The offense had 313 total offensive yards on the night.
On defense, Sean McCormick had eight stops and two tackles for loss. Wade Vandergriff had six stops; Will Henry had five, including one for loss and a sack. BJ Banks and Chancy DePriest each had four stops.
Bethel is 1-4 on the season and will try to string together consecutive wins on Saturday afternoon. Kickoff is set for 1:30 as the Wildcats host the Golden Bears of Pikeville College (Ky.). Bethel defeated Pikeville last season on the road, 42-10. |
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