The Basics
Score: #19 Evangel 31, #22 Southwestern 13 | Box Score
Record: Evangel (3-0), Southwestern (2-1)
Location: Ozark, Mo. | Tiger Stadium
OZARK, Mo. – Evangel Football returned home on Saturday (Sept. 12) to open their first of four consecutive matchups with top-25 or (RV) competition on the gridiron, hosting the #22 Southwestern College Moundbuilders in Ozark. Using a balanced effort, the Valor grabbed an early lead and never looked back, taking a 31-13 win, moving to 3-0 on the year.
The first three drives from Evangel and Southwestern all resulted in neither team scoring, until the fourth Valor possession of the morning. Luke Milligan would find Joshua Isaac on a 35-yard pass reception, followed by Stephen Gibson catching a 12-yard pass from Milligan. After Matt Allen ran for a yard gain, the senior would find Broc Lyle for the first score of the day, giving EU a 7-0 lead.
The Moundbuilders fumbled on the first play of their following drive, setting Evangel up with a short field and scoring quickly on a Allen pass to Gunner Ellison for 29 yards to make it a 14-0 ballgame. On the next Evangel possession, Milligan would again drive Evangel down the field, as Brady Allen caught an 11-yard and 29-yard pass, helping put EU in the redzone. The drive stalled out on the seven yard line, as Cody Voysey nailed a 32-yard field goal to extend the Valor lead to 17.
Southwestern responded by adding a field goal on their next possession, making it a 17-3 ballgame. The Valor would drive the distance of the field, using several catches from Lyle to find the redzone, before Isaac caught a 12-yard pass from Allen to increase Evangel's lead to 24-3. The Moundbuilders scored a field goal right before the halftime break, as EU led, 24-6.
Neither team scored in the third quarter, but Southwestern scored their lone touchdown of the contest to open the fourth quarter, making it a 24-13 Evangel lead. The Valor used a long six minute drive following the SWC score, adding a touchdown to extend their lead back to 18 points on a Kyle Cummings four yard carry.Â
Cullen Snow came away with an interception on Southwestern's next possession, helping Evangel drain the clock before Jace Dye put the game away with a sack of the Moundbuilders QB, forcing a punt and giving EU the 31-13 win on Saturday.
Luke Milligan led Evangel in passing yards, going 12-15 with 147 passing yards, while Matt Allen threw three touchdown passes (10-12, 111 yds.). Joshua Isaac led the Evangel RB room with 26 rushing yards, while Broc Lyle led all receivers with 91 yards on six receptions and a touchdown.
Defensively, Erik Spring and Draven VanGilder led the Valor with eight tackles each, while Cullen Snow came away with his third interception of the season in the win. Gennadiy Dudko led EU with a pair of sacks on Saturday.
UP NEXT
Evangel Football hits the road for another top-25 matchup, taking on unbeaten #21 McPherson College at 6:00 p.m., in McPherson, Kan., on Saturday (Sept. 19) night.
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. Â
—#OneValor—
