MCKENZIE, Tenn. - The Bethel Wildcats made the No. 5 Lindsey Wilson Blue Raiders earn a hard fought 35-17 victory at Wildcat Stadium Saturday afternoon in McKenzie. It was senior day for the Wildcats.
With the win, the Blue Raiders improved to 8-0 overall and 4-0 in the Mid-South Conference Bluegrass Division. Bethel fell to 2-7 overall and 1-4 in the division.
It was a slow start for both squads that saw a total of nine combined punts in the first half.
The Blue Raiders were the first to score. LWC scored at the 8: 30 mark of the first quarter on a Dylan Beasley five yard touchdown pass to Jay Gaudlock. The score was set up by a 36-yard Blake Ingleton run. The big gainer came on a fourth-and –one play.
The Raiders struck again at the 11:24 mark of the second stanza when Beasley found Charles Gaines in the south end zone for a 12-yard score. Gaines made a spectacular one-handed grab to put his team up 14-0.
Bethel was finally able to put points on the scoreboard with 4:58 to play in the half. A J' Kobi Reddick punt return set the Wildcats up deep in LWC territory. Bethel had a first-and-goal from the three-yard line, but the Blue Raider defense turned away three tries and the Wildcats had to settle for a 21-yard field goal from Dalton McCann.
In the next series the Wildcats forced a Beasley fumble. The Cats capitalized with a five play 63- yard drive capped off by a Sam Castronova two yard run for six. The Wildcats after the McCann point after cut the LWC lead to 14-10 with 1:15 left in the half.
LWC answered and needed just 35 seconds to respond with a touchdown of their own. Beasley completed 5-of-6 passes on the drive, including a 30-yard TD pass to Mikey Davis and LWC led 21-10 at the break.
Lindsey Wilson outscored Bethel 14-0 in the third quarter. A Beasley to Davis pass made it 28-10 at the 9:50 mark of the third quarter. Four minutes later LWC took their biggest lead on a Jayven Jones 11-yard run and it was 35-10.
Late in the game with LWC in control Bethel senior Joshua Burns completed his home career picking off a Raider pass and then returned it 37-yards for a Wildcat score. It would be the final points of the day for either squad.
Castronova finished the day 17-of-38 in the air for 243 yards. Luke Mitchell led Bethel with five receptions. Marvin Rudd had four catches in the game. Jeremy Beaulieu led the Wildcats on defense with 10 total tackles.
Beasley finished the day completing 26-of-47 passes for 302 yards and four touchdowns. Jones led the rushing attack for LWC with 104 yards on 14 attempts and one score. Davis topped the receiving core with five catches for 94 yards and a pair of touchdowns for the Raiders.
The Lindsey Wilson defense came through with five takeaways on the day, including a pair of key red zone interceptions.
LWC outgained Bethel 463-382 in total yards.
The Wildcats close out their season at Kentucky Christian Saturday with kick-off scheduled for 12:30 p.m.
