ST. PAUL – The Bethel University football team held a sack party on Snelling Avenue Saturday afternoon as the Royals defenders brought down Hamline University quarterbacks 10 times in a 33-0 victory. Bethel racked up 493 yards of total offense to just 79 for the winless Pipers. Hamline netted just eight total first downs in the game and only threatened to score once before penalties and a fumble ended their hopes.
 
The Royals held a 7-0 lead after the first quarter on a Jaran Roste seven-yard touchdown run. Bethel would score twice in the second quarter with Mike Delich punching one in from the five-yard line and Roste popped a 35-yard touchdown run with 1:21 remaining in the half to build a 20-0 halftime lead. The Royals defense gave the Pipers absolutely nothing in the first half, racking up eight sacks and allowing just 34 total yards to be gained by Hamline. The Pipers crossed midfield just once, getting to the Bethel 47-yard line, before being forced to punt.
 
The second half was no better for the Pipers offense as again they crossed into Bethel territory just once and totaled 38 yards of offense. The big play of the half for Bethel came on their second possession when Roste found a streaking Joel Koenecke behind the Pipers secondary and hit him in stride for a 47-yard touchdown. Gideon Erharbor scored Bethel's last touchdown on an eight-yard scamper near the end of the third quarter to make it 33-0. The Pipers lone drive to threaten Bethel came early in the fourth but a strip sack by Dane Schumacher on third down pushed the Pipers back even though they recovered their fumble. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Hamline further complicated things, making it fourth and 30 and pushing the Pipers out of field goal range. An incomplete pass gave Bethel the ball back and newly inserted quarterback Jake Marsh went to work in moving Bethel down the field. A Marsh connection to Jackson Bell had Bethel looking to get into the endzone again but Hamline was able to knock the ball out of Bell's possession from behind and recovered the fumble at their own three-yard line. The Royals next drive chewed up much of the remaining clock but stalled on downs. Marsh was sharp in his time under center in the second half, completing seven of his nine passes for 99 yards.
 




Senior defensive end Kyle Kilgore led the Royals defensive efforts with a team high six tackles, four for a loss and three sacks. Drew Ragsdale and Cameron Monson both had a pair of sacks while Trent Substad had one and a half sacks. Dane Schumacher had the strip sack and two total tackles. Anthony Hockett had an interception for the Royals while Trey Anderson had two pass breakups. The Pipers netted -30 yards rushing and threw for 109 yards.
 
Offensively junior wideout Joel Koenecke had a big day with six catches for 114 yards and a touchdown. Eight other Royals caught passes with none of those catching more than two as Bethel spread the ball around. Eight different Royals carried the ball on the ground with Sam Gibas being the only one with double digit carries while leading the way with 76 yards. Roste was next with 62 yards and two more touchdowns, giving him 12 on the year. Gideon Erharbor and Brady Bomsta both averaged over seven yards a carry totaling 57 and 36 yards respectively. Linebacker and goal line/short yardage running back Mike Delich found his way into the endzone for the third time in the last two games. Roste was 10-20 through the air for 154 yards and a touchdown.
 
The win improves Bethel to 7-1 on the season as they will now turn their attention towards the Auggies of Augsburg University. Bethel will travel to Minneapolis next Saturday with a 1 p.m. kickoff at Edor Nelson Field.