The Basics
Score: Evangel 35, Kansas Wesleyan 24 | Box Score
Record: Evangel (1-0), Kansas Wesleyan (0-1)
Location: Salina, Kan. | JRI Stadium
 
SALINA, Kan. – The Evangel football team overcame a slow start to win its season opener at Kansas Wesleyan 35-24 Saturday night.
 
The Valor improved to 1-0 on the season, while the Coyotes fell to 0-1 in the season opener for both teams. Evangel who finished 11-0 last season to win the KCAC Championship continued its conference win streak rallying back from an early 17-7 deficit.
 
Early turnovers for both teams saw a slow start with Kansas Wesleyan taking a 7-0 after the first quarter. The Coyotes added a 49-yard field goal before Evangel got its first touchdown at the 6:08 mark of the second quarter.
 
Reid Potts found Broc Lyle for the first of three touchdowns on the evening. The first being a 54-yard pass and catch with Lyle weaving down the sideline for the score.
 
Kansas Wesleyan answered to complete an 8-play 70-yard drive with 2:22 left in the first half. However, the Valor pulled within a field goal as Cameron Harris found the end zone from 8-yards out with 26 seconds left.
 
The Evangel rally took hold in the second half.
 
Potts to Lyle connected twice in the third quarter within two minutes of each score giving the Valor a 28-17 lead. The first came from 57-yards and the second from 28-yards.
 
Potts finished 17 of 25 for 257 yards, while Lyle caught seven passes for 157 yards. Six different Evangel receivers caught passes in the win as Harris added three catches for 40 yards and Dawson Mock added three catches for 36 yards.
 
KWU would pull within a touchdown with 6:50 left in the third quarter, however, the Valor put together an 11-play 70-yard drive. Potts finished off the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run for his fourth score of the night.
 
Both teams would stalemate in the fourth quarter as Evangel held KWU to just 112 total yards of offense in the second half.
 
Bradley Myers picked up where he left off in 2023, leading the team with 12 tackles. Zach Myers added seven tackles and 0.5 sack.
 
 
UP NEXT
Evangel will kickoff its home schedule next Saturday against Tabor College. Kickoff at Eagle Stadium in Nixa, is set for 6 p.m.
 
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.