Bethel fans were treated to arguably the most amazing high school campus in the state of Oklahoma last Friday night at Crossings Christian. Five bucks to park for all vehicles, and that’s before the gate. Try that at a public school.
As a comparison, it’s fair to say their facilities are on par with OBU’s. Thus, the reason for such heated debate regarding public versus private schools. But that’s not for here. The Knights defeated the ‘Cats, 35-0. The score did not reflect the action on the field.
Bethel held the hosts to 181 yards of total offense. Crossings earned fourteen of their points. Earning meaning they had to sustain a drive to achieve those points. Here’s the story: The Wildcats fell victim to the strong south wind and terrible field position for much and definitely most of the game. The average start of each Bethel possession was at their own 21-yard line, which included starts from their own two, five, and nine.
The ‘Cats had two punts blocked. Those punts were from their own twelve and oneyard lines. The first resulted in a Knights touchdown; the second was a Knights touchdown on the recovery.
Meanwhile, Crossings enjoyed a short field for much if not most of the game. Their average start was at Bethel’s 45-yard line, which included the four, eleven, 22, and 39-yard lines.
Bethel coach Joey Ginn said after the game, “We have to run the ball better and for people who don’t believe special teams and field position matter, just look at this game. Honestly, it should have been a fourteen-nothing game at best.” (Hey, that’s what I said.)
Bethel won the toss and took the ball. After a short pass from quarterback Cale Duncan to Jonathan Harris and no gain on a John Allred run, Duncan was sacked back to the twelve-yard line. Duncan’s punt was then blocked, and the Knights scored two plays later on a oneyard run. They led, 7-0, just two minutes into the contest.
Duncan’s next punt into the wind sailed across midfield, but it was returned 48 yards to Bethel’s eleven-yard line. The defense, led by CJ Compton, Alex Tollett, Allred, and Hunter Luschen, held and forced a 30-yard field goal. The score was 100, Crossings, with seven minutes remaining in the first quarter.
Ginn said, “Hunter had a heck of a night.”
Allred, who had 83 rushing yards on 24 carries on the night, along with the Wildcats offensive line, then put together a solid drive, crossing the fifty into Knights’ territory. But Duncan was intercepted, his first of four on the night. Duncan finished with nine completions of 26 attempts for 66 yards.
After the Bethel defense forced a punt, Duncan was intercepted again. Crossings began the new drive at the Bethel 46-yard line and was forced to settle for yet another field goal, this time for 37 yards.
The second quarter went by pretty quickly. Crossings struck again after a Bethel three-andout. The Knights put together an eight-play drive that ended with a 14-yard scoring pass. Bethel had a couple of three-and-outs that ended with punts before putting together an eleven-play drive that ended on downs at the Knights 25-yard line.
The second half began identically to the first half. When Bethel got the ball after forcing a punt, they set up at their own nine-yard line. Duncan’s punt was blocked for a second time, but this one was recovered in the end zone by the Knights, increasing their lead to 28-0.
Crossings got on the board for the final time as the fourth quarter began on a 22yard touchdown run. The remainder of the game was pretty much the Allred and Brady Lower rushing show. The two combined for 98 yards.
Austin Melson had a nice 27-yard reception late in the game, and Harris added three catches for 19 yards to his resume.
Luther (5-3, 4-1) will travel to Bethel tomorrow night as District 2A-2 play continues. Kickoff is set for 7 pm.
RUSHING: Allred 24-83, Lower 7-15, Duncan 10-(-42)
PASSING: Duncan 9-26-66-0-4
RECEIVING: Melson 3-36, Harris 3-19, Roybal 1-6, Allred 2-5
TACKLES: Melson 12, Luschen 10, Allred 9, O’Rorke 8
