ARDEN HILLS, Minn. - The Bethel Royals led the MIAC championship game against No. 5 Saint John's University from the start until the literal last second when the Johnnies were able to score and kick the extra point to go ahead for the first time, 29-28, and take the MIAC championship. The No. 12/13-ranked Royals fall to 8-2 on the season with both losses by one score to the fifth-ranked Johnnies. SJU takes the MIAC's automatic bid into the NCAA playoffs while the Royals hold extremely slim hopes to gain one of the five at-large bids available. The NCAA selection show airs at NCAA.com at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday afternoon.
The Royals jumped out to an early 14-0 lead in the first quarter and led 21-8 going into halftime. The Johnnies extra point attempt on their first half touchdown ended up being a successful two-point conversion after a bad snap forced the Johnnies holder to scramble. He was able to run it in though around the edge, diving for the pylon, in what proved to be the game deciding point.
The Johnnies opening possession of the game ended on a fumble, recovered by Bethel at the 48-yard line. On the Royals first play, Jaran Roste lofted a deep pass down field to a double covered Joey Kidder who needed just one hand to snatch the pass while battling the SJU defenders and run it into the endzone for the early 7-0 lead. The Royals next possession saw the Roste to Kidder connection continue to light it up. Roste found Kidder three times, twice on third downs before BU faced a fourth and seven from the 23-yard line. The Johnnies doubled Kidder and with all their attention focused there, Micah Neiwald ran a beautiful out and up route with Roste threading the needle for the touchdown and a 14-0 lead with 3:53 remaining in the first quarter. The Johnnies scored their first touchdown on their ensuing possession after a 14-play, 75-yard drive with the two-points added on to make it 14-8.
Bethel's next drive saw BU drive from their own 24-yard line down to the SJU 29 where they were stopped on downs. The Royals defense forced a punt after five plays and 24-yards gained by SJU before the Bethel offense went on another impressive drive. Eight plays and 91-yards later the Royals held a 21-8 lead with under a minute remaining. Roste found Gabe Ante for the 23-yard touchdown, making it three different freshman receivers catching first half touchdown passes from Roste. Nate Farm picked off his MIAC leading sixth pass of the season to end the half.
The Johnnies started to gain some momentum early in the second half, forcing a quick three and out on the Royals opening possession and putting together an 11-play, 66-yard touchdown drive to make the score 21-15. The Royals were forced to punt again before forcing the Johnnies to punt themselves. Freshman linebacker Jacob Holmen came through the line and blocked the SJU punt and David Brandt scooped up the bouncing ball and ran into the endzone for the touchdown. Hugo Cifuentes extra point was good and the Royals led 28-15 with 3:46 remaining in the third quarter. SJU responded though with a touchdown drive of 13-plays and 65-yards to pull back within six points again at 28-22.
The drama was just beginning heading into the games final quarter. The Royals were facing a fourth and one from their own 47-yard line when a delay of game penalty stopped a punt fake that looked to have a chance of working. The Royals next attempted fake did not work and the Johnnies took over at the Bethel 42. SJU drove down inside the ten-yard line and on fourth and one from the six the Royals defense made a huge stop, hitting SJU quarterback Chris Backes and leaving him short of the first down with 5:59 remaining in the game. BU was able to get a huge connection from Roste to Kidder on third and nine for a 29-yard gain to get out of being inside their own 10-yard line. A first down run for two yards was followed though by two incomplete passes and the Royals punted to SJU with 3:36 remaining. A two-yard run by SJU on first down was followed by three incomplete passes as the Johnnies turned it over on downs again giving it back to the Royals with 2:59 remaining at the SJU 34-yard line. The Royals ran for a total of five yards on their first three plays as the Johnnies used up their timeouts. On fourth and five, quarterback George Bolt, in for an injured Roste, was unable to connect with Kidder giving SJU one more chance 71-yards away with 1:59 remaining and no timeouts.
The Johnnies drive started with two incompletions before a big 36-yard connection on third and ten got the Johnnies in motion. Backes then ran for 25-yards and was able to get out of bounds at the Bethel 10-yard line with under a minute remaining. SJU ran twice, sandwiched around an incompletion, setting up a fourth and goal from three-yard line and the clock running down under 10 seconds. The fourth down pass play connected from Backes to 6'7" tight end Alex Larson and the clock showed one second remaining. The Johnnies were able to convert the extra point in the snowy conditions leaving the Royals heartbroken.
