MINNEAPOLIS – In the return to the HHH Metrodome for the final regular season game of the 2011 schedule the Bethel Royals raced out of the locker-room to grab a 28-0 halftime lead against the high-powered Auggies of Augsburg College.  With three first half interceptions the Royals defense baffled the league's best passing attack.  Two Bethel rushers topped 100 yards on the ground, while the defense remained extraordinary in the 42-7 route over Augsburg College.

The Royals defense exposed Augsburg senior quarterback Marcus Brumm, who averages over 240 yards per game through the air. Cornerback Ethan Anderson (Mapleton, Minn.) had a exquisite day, setting up the Bethel offense on the 12 yard line after an amazing interception and return.  The Royals capitalized on the turnover when Josh Aakre (Dawson, Minn) hit Jay Hilbrands (Clara City, Minn.) on an eight-yard touchdown pass on fourth down.

The Auggies next possession ended on an attempted punt, but the snap was botched giving the Royals great field position once again.  Starting on the Augsburg 27-yard-line, the Royals worked quickly when scoring on the second play of the drive.  Aakre tossed his second touchdown of the day when finding Reese Walker (Independence, Minn.) behind the defense for an easy 24 yard pitch-and-catch.  With a Matt Wetherell (--) extra point the score was 14-0 at the end of the first quarter.

On the first possession of the second quarter Augsburg found themselves in third and long.  Brumm threw the ball up for grabs and J.D. Melhorn (Lakeville, Minn.) came down with it.  Bethel proved its ability to score off of turnovers again when Aakre kept it himself on a three-yard touchdown run.

Later with time running down in the first half Kelson Carr (North Bend, Wash.) found the end zone for the first time of the day on a six-yard plunge. Brumm threw the ball up for grabs again on the last play of the half with a similar outcome, as Melhorn pulled down his second interception of the game, keeping the Royals in front 28-0 going into the locker room.

In the second half the Royals relied on the running game with Kelson Carr and Jesse Phenow (Richfield, Minn.) sharing carry after carry. On the first drive of the half Carr slashed into the end zone from 15-yards out for his second touchdown of the game.  Later in the third quarter the Auggies managed to put points on the scoreboard with a short touchdown pass to make the score 35-7, but that was all the Bethel defense would allow.

In the fourth quarter the Royals continued to pound the ball with their plethora of running backs, utilizing seven rushers in the contest.  Kelson Carr helped the Royals continue to drive home its desire to keep playing next week, as the senior from Washington rumbled in for his third touchdown of the day from three-yards away.  That capped of the scoring for both sides as Bethel closed out Augsburg 42-7, giving the seniors an afternoon to remember.

The Royals offense rushed the ball a total of 64 times for 312 yards.  They were led by Carr who racked up 116 yards on 18 carries and three touchdowns.  Jesse Phenow fielded the bulk of the carries with 23 for 105 yards.  Senior quarterback Josh Aakre ended the competition with 57 yards with one touchdown on the ground and completed eight of his 13 attempts, recording two touchdowns.

Coming into the game Augsburg was averaging 27 points and 381.3 yards-per-game, yet Bethel demonstrated they are one of the best defenses in the country by holding the Auggies to just seven points, along with 128 passing yards and 14 rushing yards.  Senior linebacker and MIAC leading tackler Billy Morgan (Rosemount, Minn.) led the charge for Bethel as he had three solo tackles and three tackle assists. His counterpart Seth Mathis, the teams' second leading tackler, ended with five total tackles in the win.  Holding the Auggies to less than half of their season average through the air was due in part to the play of the Bethel secondary.  J.D. Melhorn ended with one tackle to go along with his two interceptions.  Senior Ethan Anderson finished with three solo tackles and an interception.

The Royals have turned in another eight-win season with a regular season record of 8-2 (6-2 MIAC).  Bethel will now await the decision of the NCAA selection committee to see if they make the 32-team field for the NCAA DIII Playoffs, where it played in the quarterfinal game a season ago.