Box Score

ARDEN HILLS, Minn. - For the third consecutive year, the Bethel Royals have knocked off the Saint John's Johnnies, winning at home today by a final score of 14-9. The Johnnies had not lost to a conference opponent three times in a row since the St. Olaf Oles triumphed over them between the years of 1984-86.

Like last season when the Royals scored the winning touchdown with 24 seconds remaining, both teams had to play the entire 60 minutes to determine the winner. The Johnnies were driving late in the fourth quarter and got the ball down to the Bethel 2-yard line but with no timeouts, they were unable to stop the clock, and the Royals earned their first conference win of the season.

Defense was the name of the game for the Royals as they stopped the Johnnies short of the goal line when time expired in the fourth quarter. With no time outs, Saint John's started their final drive of the game on their own 29-yard line with 1:43 remaining. The Johnnies marched down the field and had first and goal on the Bethel 8-yard line with 30 seconds left. However, a false start penalty backed them up five yards to the 13-yard line. Despite completing two short passes, Darin Schwarze (Sr., Stanwood, Wash.) made the tackle that would end the game on the 2-yard line.

Overall, Bethel forced three Saint John's turnovers, stopped the Johnnies four out of five times on fourth down - including a huge goal line stand midway through the first quarter - and held them to just 5 for 17 on third down conversions. The defensive line was able to apply ample pressure to Saint John's quarterback Jordan Hansel, flushing him out of the pocket and forcing him to make bad passes on several occasions.

Nathan Voronyak (Sr., Orono, Minn.) led the defensive charge with 13 tackles, including two for losses of eight yards. He also broke up two passes and had a sack. Tim Cornish (Jr., Plymouth, Minn.) recorded his third interception of the season, and Nathan Holm (Sr. Gillette, Wyo.) made an interception in the Bethel end zone to stop another Johnnie drive in the third quarter.

Quarterback Josh Aakre (Fr., Dawson, Minn.) made his debut under center today for the Royals. He was 7-for-13 passing for 63 yards and also ran the ball 17 times for 50 yards, including a 3-yard run for the first score of the game. Logan Flannery (So., Lakeville, Minn.) scored the other Bethel touchdown, which proved to be the game winner, on a 2-yard run on fourth down half way through the third quarter. His touchdown capped off a 16 play, 66-yard drive that ate up 7:09 on the clock.

Bethel achieved their win without some key players. Starting defensive end Andrew Johnson (Jr., Maple Grove, Minn.) sat out today's game due to an elbow injury, while noseguard Jared Lyle (Jr., Elgin, Ill.) saw just limited action later on in the game. On offense, starting tackle John Scrabeck (Sr., Byron, Minn.) left the game in the first half with a knee injury.

The much-needed win boosts the Royals record to 2-3 overall and 1-2 in the MIAC. The Johnnies fall to 1-2 in the conference and 3-2 overall with the loss. Bethel is scheduled to stay at home to take on St. Olaf next Saturday, Oct. 11, beginning at 1 p.m.