The Basics
Score: Evangel 38, Bethel 17
Location: Thresher Stadium | North Newton, Kan.
Records: Evangel (8-2, 3-2 KCAC), Bethel (5-6, 1-4 KCAC)
Box Score
NORTH NEWTON, Kan. -- The Evangel football team rolled to a 38-17 victory Saturday afternoon at Bethel in the regular season finale for both schools.
Evangel rebounded on Saturday racking up more than 440 yards of total offense to improve to 8-2 overall and 3-2 in the KCAC. The Threshers end their season at 5-6 overall and 1-4 in the league play.
The Valor managed to control most of the game jumping out to a 31-10 halftime lead.
Kenneth Spring threw for 254 yards in his first collegiate start as he also tossed three touchdowns. Spring found seven different receivers to finish 21 of 36, while Rafe Darter led the Valor with five catches for 79 yards and a touchdown.
The ground attack for Evangel also was solid, led by Eric Williams' 111 yards on 17 carries. Williams scored his first touchdown on a 15-yard pass from Spring in the first quarter to cap a 10 play 69-yard drive. He caught four passes for 27 yards, while also rushing for a touchdown.
Kyle Cummings scored from 1-yard out late in the first quarter for the first of two touchdowns on the day. Cummings also caught a touchdown pass with 54 seconds left before the half.
Jonah Edwards added a 27-yard field goal with 9:35 left in the second quarter as the kick placed the senior kicker in the Evangel record books. Edwards field goal makes him the all-time leader with 36 field goals in his Evangel career.
Bethel added a touchdown at the end of the third quarter on a blocked field goal as time expired for the only score of the period.
Evangel would add the only score of the fourth quarter on Williams' 55-yard touchdown run on the first play of the quarter. Williams also became the first 1,000-yard rusher for Evangel since Demetric Phillips rushed for 1,501 yards in 2005.
Defensively, Bradley Myers led the Valor with nine tackles and fumble recovery. Nate Swofford added eight tackles and forced a fumble as Joey Sylvester added two sacks.
Myers finishes his Evangel career 5th all-time in Evangel history with 388 total tackles.
Evangel football finishes his third consecutive winning season, and sixth winning season under ninth-year head coach Chuck Hepola. Hepola moves to 61-33 all-time and ranks second all-time at Evangel in wins behind only Keith Barefield's 66 wins.
For the latest information on Evangel Athletics, visit Facebook at Facebook.com/EvangelValor, Twitter (@EvangelValor), or EvangelAthletics.com. Fans can also receive updates on their favorite EU teams by downloading the Evangel Athletics Gameday App through the App Store or Google Play.
—#OneValor—
