Box Score
ARDEN HILLS, Minn.- Concordia was never able to finish off a drive for the first three quarters of play and fell to Bethel 21-7 in Arden Hills, Minn. in the MIAC opener for both teams. The Cobbers allowed Bethel to take a 21-0 lead after three quarters before finally getting on the board at the start of the fourth quarter.
The loss is the second straight for the Cobbers to start the season and drops their overall record to 0-2. It is the first time since the 2000 season that Concordia has opened the year with back-to-back defeats. Bethel remains unbeaten on the year and improves to 3-0.
Bethel senior running back Phil Porta continued to be a thorn in the side of the Cobbers as he rushed for 141 yards on 24 carries. In his four games against the Cobbers, Porta was held below 100 yards in only his freshman season and averaged 149.2 yards per game. He also averaged 6.86 yards per carry in his career against Concordia.
Despite Porta's rushing total, both teams ended the game with similar offensive totals. Concordia had 164 passing yards and only 92 rushing yards for a total of 256 offensive yards. Bethel amassed 216 yards on the ground and 137 passing yards for a total of 353 offensive yards.
The tale of the game was summed up in the opening drives for both teams. Bethel started with the ball and drove 78 yards in 16 plays and grabbed a 7-0 lead with a 1-yard run from Cobber killer Porta.
Concordia responded on their opening drive by driving the ball 71 yards in 18 plays. However, as has been the case in the first two games of the year, the Cobber offense sputtered when it got inside the red zone and Concordia had to settle for a field goal attempt. Freshman kicker Carl Hauser's 25-yard field goal try was blocked and the Cobbers came away from their 9:09 drive with zero points.
The combined opening drives for both teams consumed the entire first quarter.
After the teams traded short drives, Bethel notched their second TD of the game after Porta and the Royal offense took advantage of a short field after a shanked punt and marched the ball 40 yards in seven plays to push the lead to 14-0.
The first half ended the same way it began for the Concordia offense as they drove the ball inside the Bethel 20-yard line but came away without any points. After getting a first down at the Royal 19 with 22 seconds remaining in the half, Cobber quarterback Eric Rodel threw three straight incomplete passes before throwing the first of his three interceptions in the game.
The second half started with both team's defenses stepping up and playing aggressively. Neither offense was able to sustain a drive until the end of the third quarter when Bethel went 80 yards in eight plays for the game-breaking score to go ahead 21-0. The big play of the drive was a 52-yard scamper by Porta.
The Cobbers finally got onto the board on their second drive of the fourth quarter after Porta fumbled on his own 45-yard line.
Rodel connected on consecutive 15-yard-plus pass plays to Pete Lien and Nick Alton to set the touchdown. Rodel completed the drive by running in from three yards out. It was his second score of the season.
From there, the Royal defense stiffened and Concordia was never able to get the ball closer than midfield.
The most impressive afternoon statistically for Concordia belonged to sophomore wide receiver Nick Alton. Alton had a career-high seven catches for 85 yards. Rodel finished the game as the team's leading rusher. He had 56 yards on 16 carries. In the passing department he was 14-for-28 for 150 yards but had the all-important three interceptions.
The Cobber defense, which got better as the game wore on, was led by junior Brennen Lewis who had a team-high 11 tackles. He also combined on a sack and forced the fumble that led to Concordia's only score of the game.
Concordia will step out of the fire and into the frying pan when they host defending league champion St. John's on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 1 p.m. at Jake Christiansen Stadium.
