Leavenworth, Kan. — Bethel College football delivered a game for the ages on Saturday afternoon, defeating Saint Mary 38-37 in a shootout that came down to the very last play. The victory marked the first career win for head coach Josh Lawson, and it came in storybook fashion — a two-point conversion pass from running back Noah Miler to tight end Kai Norris with six seconds left on the clock.
The Threshers wasted little time getting on the board. Quarterback Houston Herrin capped the opening drive with a five-yard rushing score just 1:33 into the game. After Saint Mary immediately responded with a 75-yard touchdown strike, Bethel strung together a grinding 13-play drive that ended in a five-yard touchdown run by Madison, putting the Threshers up 14-7.
The second quarter was a rollercoaster. Herrin connected with Madison on a 46-yard bomb to regain the lead at 21-14, but the Spires answered with back-to-back touchdowns, including a 54-yard sprint from quarterback Erick Covington, to go up 28-21 at the half.
Bethel regrouped out of the locker room. A Hector Santana 37-yard field goal cut the deficit, and Herrin found Madison for a nine-yard score to reclaim the lead at 30-28. The wild sequence continued when Saint Mary blocked the PAT and returned it 97 yards the other way for two points, then followed with another touchdown to grab a 37-30 edge heading into the final quarter.
With the game hanging in the balance, the Threshers mounted their defining drive — an 18-play, 94-yard march that chewed more than five minutes off the clock. Herrin found Madison again, this time from nine yards out, with just six seconds left. Lawson elected to go for two for the win, and Noah Miller, the running back, connected with Kai Norris in the end zone on a diving catch from Norris to seal the win.
Herrin finished with 188 passing yards and three touchdowns, adding another score on the ground. Madison turned in a sensational afternoon, posting 12 receptions for 119 yards, three receiving touchdowns, a rushing touchdown, and 24 return yards. Bethel outgained Saint Mary 404-391 in total offense and converted four times on fourth down to keep drives alive.
With the win, Bethel (1-4, 0-0 KCAC) will ride momentum into Fall Fest this Saturday when they host Sterling at 6 p.m. in Thresher Stadium.
