MCKENZIE, Tenn. - The No. 3 Bethel University Wildcats saw their season come to end Saturday afternoon at Wildcat Stadium falling to No. 12 Baker University 44-41 in overtime. The Wildcats closed the year at 10-1 while Baker advanced to the second round of the NAIA FCS playoffs at 9-2.
The game matched the nation's leading scoring team as Bethel averaged 56.4 points per game entering the contest. Baker was the third best scoring defense allowing just 12.8 points per outing.
Bethel outgained the opposing Wildcats 259-190 on the ground and had a 304-251 advantage in passing yards but turnovers hurt the Cats as they fumbled five times with the Kansas visitors recovering four of those miscues.
Bethel jumped out to an early lead on their first possession driving 63 yards on eight plays with the drive capped off by a Sam Castronova five-yard run for the score. Dalton McCann's point after made it 7-0 at the 11:33 mark.
Baker answered on a Marco Aguinaga touchdown pass to Sam Huckabee at the 5:27 mark to make it 7-6. Cooper Lee missed the point after.
One minute and five seconds later Baker's Landon Decker forced Bethel quarterback Nolan Chowbay to fumble on an option run. Linebacker John Rincon scooped up the loose football and ran 37 yards to give Baker a 13-7 lead.
With 1:05 left in the first, Bethel's Castronova threw his 28th touchdown of the season finding Devante Jimenez from 11 yards out and the Cats took a 14-13 margin after the McCann point after.
The teams went back and forth as both defensive units took charge for much of the second stanza. Lee knocked in a 41 yard field goal as time expired and Baker led 16-14 at the half.
Bethel outscored Baker 20-7 in the third quarter and appeared to gain control of the game at the end of the quarter leading 34-23. Anthony Hughes had a rushing touchdown. J' Kobi Reddick had a punt return for a score and Davius Prather had a short run for a score. Baker's Aquinaga hit Huckabee on a 13-yard strike which was Baker's only score of the quarter.
Baker's JD Woods capped off a 71 eight play drive with a 10-yard scamper and Bethel's lead was shaved to 34-29. Aquinaga converted the two-point after attempt to make it 34-31 with 13:45 left in the game. Three minutes later Lee drilled a 33-yard field goal to tie the game. With 3:33 left in regulation Baker took a 41-34 lead on an Aguinaga 44 yard pass to Huckabee.
Bethel impressively drove 75 yards in eight plays to tie the game. Anthony Hughes scored from two yards out and McCann's point after tied the game at 41 all with 15 seconds left.
Baker won the toss and elected to put Bethel on offense. De'Ontay Tate ran 23 yards and Bethel had it first and goal from the two-yard line. Baker's defense forced a Castonova fumble however inside the one and the Wildcats were denied.
Lee's field goal from 41-yards away won the game on Baker's possession in the extra period.
Woods had 181 rushing yards for Baker. Aguinaga had 251 yards passing with three touchdowns. Huckabee who was voted the Most Outstanding Offensive Player of the game finished with eight receptions including the three touchdowns.
Tate led Bethel with 118 rushing yards. Castronova was 25-of-38 in the air and finished with 276 passing yards. He completed the season with 2, 453 yards on the year surpassing Coach Brent Dearmon's mark of 2, 388 in 2003 for most all-time in a single season. His 28 touchdown passes is also a single season record for the Wildcats.
Kegan Schumann led Baker with 14 total tackles and was named the Most Outstanding Defensive Player of the Game.
Jeremy Beaulieu led the Wildcats with 11 total tackles.
Reinhardt and Cumberlands (KY) of the Mid-South Conference also lost Saturday in first round action.
Upsets ruled the day in the FCS as No. 2 Marian, No. 3 Bethel. No. 4 Reinhardt and No. 5 Northwestern (Iowa) all lost.
