ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – Tying a program single-game record,
Joey Kidder's four touchdown receptions led the No. 24th-ranked Bethel University football team to a 51-30 victory over Wisconsin-Eau Claire in the home opener at Royal Stadium Saturday afternoon.
Kidder is the fifth Royal to have four TD grabs and first since Bryce Marquardt at Augsburg in 2014. Kidder also surpassed another Marquardt mark becoming the Royals' all-time touchdown reception leader with 31. Marquardt had 29 from 2013-17.
A 24-point second quarter sent the Royals into the locker room up 31-16 at the break. UWEC pulled back within 38-30 with 12:14 to go in the game before the Royals notched two scores in the final five minutes.
BU amassed 456 yards of offense with 294 through the air and 162 on the ground. The Blugolds put up 387 yards of offense despite throwing for 402 on 34-of-63 passing. Bethel's defense for the second straight week held a team under zero yards rushing as the Blugolds got -15.
HOW IT HAPPENED
1st Half
• Starting from the Eau Claire 47-yard line thanks to a 45-yard kickoff return from
Austin Auld, the Royals needed seven plays to get their opening score.
Cooper Drews connected with Kidder from 10 yards out making it 7-0 with 12:28 left in the first half.
• Two drives later UWEC evened up on a 28-yard touchdown reception with 7:09 to go in the first.
• The Blugolds took their first lead of the day after forcing a fumble on the Royals' next drive and recovering it on Bethel's 12-yard line. The defense held strong though forcing a 27-yard field goal making it 10-7.
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Cooper Drews got the first of his two rushing touchdowns finding the endzone on a 26-yard scamper on the first play of the second quarter. UWEC answered back on the next drive going up 16-14 as the PAT hit the upright.
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Joe Kujawa got his first career touchdown on a 2-yard pass from Drews giving BU the lead for good at 21-16.
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Matt Jung got his first interception of the day on the next Blugold drive. It would lead to another Drews to Kidder connection in the endzone, this time from 13 yards out.
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Eli Nowacki gave BU the 31-16 lead at the break nailing his first career field goal attempt from 37 yards.
2nd Half
• With 6:13 left in the third quarter, Kidder became the all-time TD reception leader with a 34-yard catch.
• Eau Claire answered back two mintues later making it 38-23 before making it a one score game three minutes into the fourth.
• After forcing the Royals to punt, UWEC was within striking distance of tying up the game having it first and goal from the two-yard-line. Jung came up big again intercepting a pass in the endzone and returning it 39 yards in what was the biggest play of the game.
• Three plays later it was Kidder in the endzone again as his 15-yard catch pushed the BU lead to 45-30.
• The defense came up with one more stop on a sack fumble with
Caden DeWall punching it loose and
Noah Richards recovering it.
• Drews showed off his speed one more time running it in from 43-yards out for the game's final score.
TOP PERFORMERS
Offense
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Cooper Drews – 30-of-41, 294 yards, 5 TDs, 78 rushing yards, 2 rushing TDs
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Joey Kidder – 11 catches, 126 yards, 4 TDs
Defense
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Matt Jung – 10 tackles, 2 interceptions
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Caden DeWall – 5 tackles, 2.5 sacks
GAME NOTES
• UWEC won the toss and deferred their choice to the second half. Bethel elected to receive.
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Joey Kidder now has 2,739 career receiving yards puts him third all-time and is 64 shy of second and 262 shy of tying the program record held by Jeremy Belisle.
• It's the second straight week the Royals have allowed a negative rushing mark as the season opponent average moves to -34.5 rushing yards a game.
UP NEXT
Bethel welcomes nationally-ranked Saint John's to Arden Hills for the MIAC opener on Saturday, Sept. 28. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
