ORIGINALLY WRITTEN DON RATZLAFF
In what ranks as one of the biggest upsets in KCAC football in many a year — except for coach Tim McCarty and his players — the Tabor College Bluejays shocked 16th-ranked Bethany, 14-7, Saturday night at Reimer Field.
Tabor scored first on a 91-yard touchdown pass from freshman quarterback Matt Insley to senior wide receiver Henry Cantu. Bethany had punted to the Tabor 2-yard line. Two plays moved the ball to the 9. Then Insley hit Cantu on a quick slant to the right side and the receiver sprinted past the Bethany defenders to the end zone. Dylan Pohlman kicked the extra point, and Tabor led 7-0 with 8:47 left in the first quarter.
The Swedes came back with a touchdown of their own on a 5-yard lob pass into the left corner of the end zone. The extra point tied the game at 7-7 with 13:15 left in the second quarter. The two teams played even the rest of the way to intermission on a blustery and drizzly cold night.
Then, in the third quarter, facing a third and one at the Bethany 28, junior runningback Mike Rogers took a handoff from freshman quarterback Shaun Craft, bounced to the outside and raced 28 yard to the end zone. Pohlman’s extra point made it 14-7 with 6:39 left in the quarter.
The Bluejay defense, playing brilliantly all night long, held Bethany at bay the rest of the way, and, as the clock ticked off the final seconds of the game, Tabor players, coaches and fans stormed the field in jubilation.
With the win, Tabor moves to 1-1 in the KCAC and 1-2 overall.
Tabor shocks nationally ranked Bethany!
