Goal Line Stands Cost Eagles in Bethel Game

Waleska, GA - It was a beautiful Saturday on the campus of Reinhardt University and a perfect setting for college football. Eagle Nation was ready for the home opener with two tough and talented football teams that were ready to compete. Reinhardt was coming in at #9 in the nation and Bethel University is sitting just outside the NAIA Top 25. Both teams were coming off big victories from the previous week with Reinhardt winning the tougher matchup against ranked Faulkner University.

The game would begin with the Eagles set the tone for the game on the opening drive. The Eagles had a drive of almost seven minutes which featured Devyn Collins and Dylan Kelly running the ball for many short gains. It was a ten-play drive that ended with a big play from wide receiver, David Friedberg, making a long run to set up the touchdown by Collins. With the ball on the one-yard line, Collins would use his force to smash his way into the endzone for the Eagles' first score of the game. The Eagles would gamble a little and set up for a two-point conversion which was a widespread offensive formation. Hunter Arters would through a quick outlet to Louis Morris who would go into the endzone untouched. It seemed like the Eagles' offense was roaring to start the game and they would be able to put up a lot of points in the game. Unfortunately, this would be the Eagles' only score of the game giving them an early 8-0 lead.

Statistically, the Eagles had superior numbers to the visiting Wildcats of Bethel. They controlled the ball the first half of the game and had a few chances to score with the ball inside the ten-yard line. Bethel did answer Reinhardt's first-quarter touchdown with a score of their own, but they would miss the point after attempt making the score 8-6 Eagles.  The next scoring chance for the Eagles would come in the second quarter. The Eagles would put together a long nine-play drive taking roughly six minutes off the clock to set up a field goal attempt for Reinhardt Kicker Reid Schratwieser. Schratwieser's 19-yard attempt would narrowly miss the right upright giving possession back to Bethel. 

The Eagles defense was doing their jobs stopping the high-powered offense of Bethel who manage to put up seventy points the previous week to Arkansas Baptist. Jon Perry, Kellen Neal, Kenneth Lowery, and the defensive crew were giving it their all stopping every drive the Wildcats would throw at them. Neal would end up leading the Eagles with seven solo tackles and 1 assist tackle. Lowery would have 5 solo tackles, 2 assists, and one sack. It was a really good performance by the defense that gave the Eagles every chance to win the game.

The Eagles would take their 8-6 lead into halftime as both teams failed to score in the second quarter.

On their second possession of the third quarter, Bethel would manage to score from a two-play drive in which most of the play was gained on a 46-yard pass play. The Wildcats would throw a deep fade to the corner of the end zone that landed in the hands of the wide receiver. This would give Bethel their first lead of the game and one that they would not relinquish the rest of the way.

At the end of the third quarter, the Eagles would have another good offensive possession that would march them down the field to inside the Wildcat's 10-yard line. Arters throw to Kelly would gain 46 yards putting the Eagles in a good position to get the lead back. The drive would get to the one-yard line and Reinhardt would fail to get past that point turning the ball over to Bethel on downs. Bethel took over on their own one-yard line and proceeded to string together a long drive eating up a lot of clock at the end of the third and into the fourth quarter. The Eagles' defense would do their job again and stop the run to give the offense another chance.

Arters and the offense would take the next possession and again move the ball down the field. The play that looked like it would get the lead back to Reinhardt was one that was similar to the winning score from the Faulkner game from the previous week. Arters would drop back and throw a long bomb to Navarie Solomon who was moving up the left sideline. Solomon would smoke past the corner with green turf in front of him, however, the ball was just a few yards too long. If the ball falls into his hands, Solomon definitely scores giving the lead back to the Eagles - but it was not meant to be.

The Wildcats would stop the Eagles on a couple of more drives and then they were able to run a lot of clock on a drive that featured one of their backs. The back had five touches on the six-play drive and it set up a field goal that would give Bethel a cushion in the game. The 31-yard field goal made the score 16-8 for Bethel. 

The Eagles would have one more chance to score and go for another two-point conversion to try to tie the game, but an overthrown pass on the first play of the final drive would drop in the hands of a Wildcat safety to end the game.

The final result of the game was one that Coach Miller and his team did not want, however, there are positives that can be taken from the game to go into the conference games coming up. The defense held Bethel's offense most of the game allowing Reinhardt's offense to get back on the field. The offense was able to move the ball up the field with players like Arters, Collins, Solomon, Kelly, and more. The offense is very quick and skilled, but their failure to put the ball in the end zone when the chances were there cost them this game. Look for the Eagles to rebound from this game and find ways to get in the end zone when they are given a chance. This team is way too talented to be held to just eight points.

For next game scheduling information, please check www.reinhardteagles.com for the most up-to-date information.