NORTH NEWTON, Kan. - The no. 14 ranked Bethel Threshers were able to advance their record to 4-0 following a dominant win against the Ottawa Braves. DJ Ciers turned in a career-high four touchdowns as the Threshers beat the Braves 50-21.
 
The game would be far from perfect for either team as both would have multiple turnovers and miscues. Because of this, two of the Braves' three touchdowns came off costly Bethel fumbles. 
 
The game would start with a relatively low-scoring opening quarter, with both teams putting up 7 points a piece. 
 
DJ Ciers punched in the opening score for the Threshers as he found a gap in the defense and explode through it, putting the ball in the endzone at the end of an electric 68-yard run just over seven minutes into the game. 
 
The next score wouldn't come until the waning seconds of the quarter, as the Ottawa defense capitalized on a Kashius McCray fumble that occurred in the red zone. Saamad Ali returned the fumble 96 yards for the scoop and score touchdown, which tied the game up at seven a piece.
 
The second quarter saw the momentum shift largely in the Threshers' favor as they put up 29 points, compared to just seven points scored by the Braves. 
 
DJ Ciers opened the quarter by leading the offense down the field where he found the endzone using his legs just under 3 minutes in for his second touchdown of the contest. 
 
Shortly after, bad luck found the Threshers once again as Ciers lost the ball after taking a big hit from his blindside. Keondre Polanco took advantage by returning the fumble 74 yards for the touchdown. 
 
On the next possession, the Bethel offense bounced back in a big way as Ciers found the endzone once again to put the Threshers up 21-14.
 
The remainder of the half saw the Threshers score two more touchdowns, with the first coming off a blocked punt which was recovered in the endzone by Conlan Bruggeman and the second coming from a Brenden Sanders pick-six.
 
This pick-six was Sanders' second in as many weeks. 
 
The Threshers went into halftime leading by double digits, 36-14. 
 
Both teams took part in a quiet third quarter, but the game broke loose once again a third of the way through the fourth as Ciers scored his 4th rushing touchdown of the day from five-yards out. 
 
Ottawa's starting running back Jared Daniels scored the team's lone offensive touchdown just three minutes later. But it ended up being too little too late for the Braves as Kayden Christiansen helped the Threshers ice the game with a 5-yard rushing touchdown with three minutes left. 
 
Bethel moved to 4-0 following the 50-21 point victory
 
A.B. Stokes said the following about his team's performance, "There were things that we improved on from weeks prior, but there were still some mistakes that could have cost us. But I was happy with the way the team was able to overcome them and keep playing." 
 
The Thresher offense finished the game with 483 total yards, with 423 of those yards coming on the ground. 
 
Post-game, Ciers pointed to the team's performance at practice as the reason for the offensive explosion. All-American Chantz Scurry also echoed this sentiment. 
 
You can catch the Thresher's week five matchup Saturday, October 1st against Bethany College live inside Lindstrom Football Field at Anderson Athletic Complex. You can purchase your tickets today on the Bethany College athletic website or watch live on the KCAC network.