ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – The Bethel University football team turned in a dominant all-around performance in a 62-7 victory over Hamline at Royal Stadium. Bethel scored touchdowns on their first eight possessions while the defense racked up an incredible 19 tackles for loss by 13 different players. Bethel had 12 different ball carriers on the day, with seven of them scoring touchdowns, in rushing for a season high 422 yards. The Royals totaled 539 yards of offense while Hamline had just 11 yards of total offense.
 


Mike Delich started things off for Bethel with a 48 yard touchdown run. Bethel's next possession lasted just one play as the big play man, Sid Boros, turned in another highlight run, breaking multiple tackles and then outrunning the Pipers defense down the sideline for a 78-yard touchdown. Boros has 47 total touches this season for 653 yards, an average of nearly 14 yards per touch, and seven touchdowns.
 
Jaran Roste scored the Royals next touchdown from nine yards out following a nine play, 64-yard drive. Senior safety Cale Ferrin then picked off his conference leading fifth interception of the season, returning it 24 yards to set up Bethel's next scoring drive. Max Janes scored Bethel's touchdown from one yard out and the PAT was successful making the score 28-0 early in the second quarter. Roste was the next to score, this time from 21 yards out, to cap another nine play drive of 62 yards.
 
The Pipers offense spent more time in reverse than going forward and their troubles were compounded on their next possession when linebacker Mike Delich busted through for a sack and the HU quarterback fumbled. Max Janes scooped it up and ran in for the defensive score and a 42-0 lead. Hamline went backwards again on their next drive, giving Bethel the ball back and the Royals went on another scoring drive, this time Joel Koenecke punching it in from nine yards out. The drive did see a pair of incredible streaks come to an end for Bethel was early in the drive quarterback Jake Marsh was sacked, the first allowed this season. Bethel was the only team in NCAA football to not have allowed a sack on the season. To cap off the weird happenings, freshman kicker Bjorn Charles missed his first PAT of the season when his kick clanged off the upright, snapping his streak of 40 straight successful PAT's to begin his collegiate career.
 
The score sat at 48-0 going into halftime. Hamline had zero first downs in the first half and negative 38 yards of offense on 14 plays.
 
The Royals scored their lone touchdown of the third quarter on the opening drive of the second half when Fisher Marberg capped the longest drive of the game, 13 plays and 85 yards, with a two yard touchdown run. Bethel's first drive to not score a touchdown came next when the Royals fumbled, setting up Hamline at the Bethel 34 yard line. Hamline was able to convert a fourth and 11 thanks to a roughing the passer penalty on Bethel and then scored their lone touchdown on a fourth and one run from the four yard line.
 
Bethel would score once more in the fourth quarter after stopping Hamline on downs and receiving the ball at the HU 20 yard line. Matt Teigland and Landon Liudahl carried the ball down to the two yard line where Teigland took it in. Charles PAT was good for the final score of 62-7.
 
The Royals defense was led by sophomore defensive tackle Michael Judd who had six tackles, three and a half tackles for loss, and three sacks. Max Janes had two sacks, three tackles, and the fumble recovery for a touchdown to go along with his rushing touchdown. Brayden Finkbeiner and Jacob Burgoon both had seven tackles and two and a half tackles for loss. The Pipers were limited to negative 35 yards rushing on the day and were just 8-22 passing for 46 yards. Hamline had just seven first downs in the game, all coming in the second half.
 
Joel Koenecke was the only Royal with double digit carries and also the only to top 100 yards as he totaled 106 yards on 13 carries and a touchdown. Sid Boros had five carries for 92 yards and a touchdown and Roste carried six times for 70 yards and two touchdowns. Mike Delich and Max Janes made the most out of their only carries of the day as Delich scored from 48 yards out and Janes scored from one yard out. John Carlson was Bethel's leading receiver on the day with three catches for 31 yards as the Royals only threw for 117 yards after jumping out to the early, big lead.
 
Bethel now improves to 7-1 on the season and 5-1 in the MIAC while Hamline falls to 1-7 and 0-6. The Royals will take on Augsburg (1-7, 0-6) next Saturday at Royal Stadium in the final regular season home game.