GAMEDAYSEPTEMBER 14, 2013 • ROYAL STADIUM • ARDEN HILLS, MINN. #8 BETHEL vs. WARTBURG WHAT TO WATCH FOR 2013 SCHEDULE The Bethel file:The Royals come into today’s contest hav- The Wartburg file:The Knights make the trip up to St. Paul Sept. 14 Wartburg 1 p.m. Sept. 21 at Buena Vista 1 p.m. ing yet to take the field in the young 2013 season after having from their home camp in Waverly, Iowa, with a 1-0 record. Sept. 28 at Carleton* 1 p.m. an opening week bye. Bethel has been recognized in several Wartburg was on the road for their opening-week game last Oct. 5 Augsburg* (Homecoming) 1 p.m. preseason polls as one of the Top 25 teams in the NCAA weekend in Jacksonville, Ill. where they throttled MacMurray Oct. 12 at Concordia* 1 p.m. Division III, with D3football.com tagging BU as the No. 8 team College 58-7. They were picked to finish second in the Iowa Oct. 19 St. Thomas* 1:10 p.m. in the land. Additionally, the Royals were predicted by league Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) coaches preseason Oct. 26 Gustavus Adolphus* (Family Weekend) 1 p.m. coaches to finish second in the MIAC. poll behind only perennial powerhouse Coe College. Nov. 2 at Hamline* 1 p.m. Nov. 9 St. Olaf* 1 p.m. Wheels rollin’: After today’s home contest, the Royals will The series: Bethel opened their 2012 season against the Nov. 16 at Saint John's* 1 p.m. play without the amenities of Royal Stadium, as they will be on Knights in Waverly, Iowa, where the Royals grinded out a 21-0 the road for three of their next four games. Next weekend BU shutout in the season-opener. This was the second consecu- MIAC STANDINGS will travel south of the “Land of 10,000 Lakes” to Storm Lake, tive win against Wartburg, as Bethel topped the Knights 28-20 Augsburg 0-0 1-0 Iowa, for a showdown with the Beavers of Buena Vista Univer- in the first round of the 2010 NCAA Division III Playoffs, when Carleton 0-0 1-0 sity. The following weekend will see the Royals head to North- the Royals went on to become West Region Champions for the Concordia 0-0 1-0 field for a conference-opening matchup with Carleton. Bethel second time. Wartburg topped BU in the first meeting, as the Hamline 0-0 1-0 will then return to St. Paul for their homecoming Saturday, Knights defeated Bethel in the 2003 NCAA Division III Playoffs Saint John’s 0-0 1-0 St. Olaf 0-0 1-0 when they play host to Augsburg before then making the trek 21-7, improving their record to 11-0 that season. St. Thomas 0-0 1-0 up I-94 to Cobber country when facing Concordia-Moorhead. Bethel 0-0 0-0 When all is said and done BU will have racked up just over Schrader ‘schreds’ the defense: Sophomore Logan Gustavus 0-0 0-0 1,300 miles on the road trips for regular season games. Schrader returns under center this year for the Knights after starting nine games a year ago and throwing for nearly 1,900 Mathis mayhem: Already one of the most decorated players yards. In addition to his 1,900 yards, Schrader completed 61 MIAC GAMES TODAY in program history, linebacker Seth Mathis returns for his senior percent of his passes and threw for 11 touchdowns, while Concordia at Buena Vista ..............................................1 p.m. UW-Eau Claire at Saint John’s .......................................1 p.m. campaign. Not to be confused with the All-State representative, averaging 190 yards per game. In Wartburg’s nonconference St. Olaf at Luther .........................................................1 p.m. Mayhem, the Anoka, Minn., native brings his own mayhem, win last weekend the Killdeer, Ill., native completed 13 of 19 Simpson at Gustavus ....................................................1 p.m. as he earned First-Team All-American honors a year ago after passes for 187 yards and one score. amassing 130 tackles and picking off five passes. Not only was Mathis awarded Preseason All-American honors, he was Calm, cool, and under control: Both coaches in today’s also noted as the preseason Defensive Player of the Year. matchup have established premier programs, as each are FOLLOW THE ROYALS among the Top 10 in different coaching categories. Bethel’s Online ......................................................... bethelroyals.com Twitter .............................................................@bethelroyals #BURoyals on gameday: During today’s season debut and Steve Johnson, who begins his 25th season, ranks No. 9 in Facebook ...................................... facebook.com/bethelroyals at all games throughout the upcoming year, fans are encour- all-time wins among active NCAA Division III head coaches YouTube .......................................... youtube.com/bethelroyals aged to post pictures, tweets, and Facebook updates with the with a 173-79-1 record (.688). Meanwhile, Wartburg’s Rick Instagram ........................................................@bethelroyals hash tag #BURoyals at the end. Fans that post a tweet with Willis has compiled a 119-31 mark (.793) in 14 seasons. This Vine .................................................................Bethel Royals #BURoyals on Twitter, will have a chance to have their tweet is the most wins in program history and ranks seventh among Live stats & live video ........................................................... used as the tweet of the week on the weekly football previews. active NCAA Division III coaches in winning percentage. .................. http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/bethel.portal# 7 NCAA PLAYOFF APPEARANCES • 4 MIAC TITLES • 2 WEST COAST REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS ABOUT BETHEL At Bethel, we’re a community—working together in Christ’s name so that we can transform our world. Bethel University has been a leader and model in Christian higher education since 1871. For generations, our fusion of evangelical faith with top-ranked academics has transformed women and men, preparing them for unique callings in the kingdom of God. With more than 100 academic programs in two colleges, a grad school, and a seminary, we're one of the most comprehensive, inter- denominational Christian universities in the nation. Our main campus, in the heart of the Twin Cities metro, gives us quick access to service projects, internships, churches, ministry organizations, and tons of local entertainment. Everything we do at Bethel is guided by our core values, rooted in Scripture. We are Christ-followers, character-builders, truth-seekers, learners, salt and light, reconcilers, and world-changers. We are, above all, a community—serving and encouraging one another toward our individual potential. Working together in Christ’s name, we become personally transformed so that we can transform our world. Check out our schools to catch a glimpse of why our 6,500 students choose Bethel University. ONE YEAR AGO WAVERLY, Iowa – The 2012 football season game. “We could tell from the beginning it was going Peterson finished the day completing 20 of 28 pass- opened with a defensive battle, as the Royals took to be a defensive grind and I was so proud of the es for a total of 214 yards in the air. He and Hall- advantage of decisive turnovers that led to a 21-0 toughness our guys showed,” continued Johnson. strom connected 10 times, as Hallstrom recorded victory over the hosting Knights of Wartburg College. 109 yards receiving. Jay Hilbrands (Sr., Clara City, In the very next play Brandon Marquardt (So., Cham- Minn.) and Jared Schultz (Jr., Fergus Falls, Minn.) Saturday’s contest was anything but a blowout, nor plin, Minn.) carried the ball into the end zone, giv- each caught three passes as well. was it a scoring parade, as neither team composed ing the Royals the 7-0 advantage—a lead it kept a point in the opening quarter. The Royals began the throughout the remainder of the period. The Royals defense held the Knights’ offense to day with five straight drives that resulted in a punt a combined 188 total yards. Seth Mathis led the and none of them went longer than six plays. Wart- Bethel went ahead by 14 after the opening drive Bethel squad with an interception and 12 tackles, burg started the game with a similar result, as the of the third quarter. A 15-play, 71-yard drive was including a sack. Gavin Mauer (Sr., Morgan, Minn.) Knights not only missed a 41-yard field goal attempt, capped off by Derek Waldbillig (Sr., Farmington, had an extraordinary day as well, wrapping up seven but were intercepted deep in Bethel’s territory, and Minn.), who scampered for an eight-yard score. Em- tackles, including two tackles for loss and one sack. stripped near its own 20-yard line. bedded within the drive was a 43-yard toss from On the day, BU finished with nine tackles for loss quarterback Erik Peterson (So., Orono, Minn.) to re- and six sacks. The interception was credited to Seth Mathis (Jr., ceiver Mitch Hallstrom (Jr., Eden Prairie, Minn.) that Anoka, Minn.), who picked off the Knight quarter- put the Royals at the Knight’s 27-yard line. “Our entire team showed an amazing heart today by back, Logan Schrader, at the Bethel 16-yard line coming down to Waverly and battling against a team with 10:50 to play in the second quarter. After a “Peterson was incredible for us today,” noted coach that is highly thought of,” says Coach Steve John- quick possession by the Royals and a sensational Johnson. “He showed poise and leadership all day son. “Our defense led the way, but our special teams punt by Phil Peterson (Fr., Richfield, Minn.), Brett long, but especially in that drive – which was critical and offense made it possible for the defense to shut Skoog (Sr., Long Lake, Minn.) strip sacked Schrader, to the final result.” down our opponent.” which gave the ball back to Bethel at the Wartburg nine-yard line.