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Area college football: Bethel wins, St. John’s loses in Division III playoffs

pioneer press
·3 min read

Anthony Hockett intercepted two passes in the end zone, and receiver Joey Kidder scored a career-high three touchdowns to lift Bethel to a 30-13 victory over previously unbeaten Linfield (Ore.) in a Division III second-round playoff game Saturday in McMinnville, Ore.

Kidders touchdowns, all on passes from Jaran Roste, covered five yards in the first quarter, 11 in the third and 65 in the fourth. Roste also ran for a touchdown.

The Royals (10-2) outgained the Wildcats (11-1) 373 yards to 261, doing it with a balanced offense that produced 159 rushing yards and 214 passing yards.

Bethel’s defense held Linfield scoreless in the second half, when Hockett came up with his interceptions in the end zone. The Royals also sacked Linfield quarterback Joey Valadez six times.

Roste’s three touchdowns to Kidder made him the Royals’ all-time leader for passing touchdowns with 67, breaking Scott Kirchoff’s school record.

Bethel will play third-ranked Mary Hardin-Baylor of Texas in next Saturday’s quarterfinal round at a site to be determined.

Wartburg 23, St. John’s 20

A season-high five turnovers sunk the Johnnies (10-2) in a Division III second-round playoff game against the unbeaten Knights (12-0) in Collegeville, Minn.

The turnovers started on the very first play from scrimmage for St. John’s and led to a 23-6 Wartburg (Iowa) lead.

“When you turn the ball over five times, it makes it tough to win any game,” said Alex Larson, the Johnnies’ tight end from East Ridge High School in Woodbury. “That certainly wasn’t what we had planned, and we still had a chance to win this game at the end. But, when it was all said and done, we just didn’t make the plays we needed to make to get the win.”

St. John’s quarterback Aaron Syverson threw four interceptions, but also competed 22 of 36 passes for 244 yards.

DIVISION II

Colorado School of Mines 48, Minnesota State 45

Offense was the name of the game in Golden, Colo., and the host Orediggers (11-2) had just enough of it to hold off the Mavericks (10-3) in the second round of the Division II playoffs.

Playing from behind all game, Mankato kept it close thanks to Hayden Ekern’s career-high 377 yards passing for four touchdowns. D.J. Barber posted a career-high 108 receiving yards and two touchdowns, and Isaiah Emanuel had 117 receiving yards and one touchdown. Shen Butler-Lawson rushed for 73 yards and two touchdowns.

Trent Carpenter led the Mavericks defense with 10 tackles, while Jacob Daulton had nine, including a sack.

Angelo State 33, Bemidji State 7

Second-ranked Angelo State (12-0) exploded for 20 points in the fourth quarter to break open a close Division II second-round playoff game and beat the host Beavers (10-3) in Bemidji, Minn.

Bemidji State got off to a quick start, taking advantage of a muffed punt return in the first quarter to get the ball at the Rams’ 8-yard line, setting up Brandon Alt’s 4-yard touchdown pass to Brendan Beaulieu for a 7-0 lead. It was Beaulieu’s 19th TD reception of the season, a school record.

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