NIXA, Mo. – It was not the outcome
Matt Middleton sought for his Kansas Wesleyan football team, but he had no qualms with his team's determination and effort.
Evangel scored the lone touchdown with 9:40 remaining and held on for a 7-6 Kansas Conference victory Saturday afternoon.
KWU fell to 4-2 in its final game against teams from the Ted Kessinger Division. Evangel improved to 4-2 after playing teams from the Gene Bissell Division.
The injury-plagued Coyotes led 3-0 at halftime and 6-0 after three quarters but couldn't hang on.
"We went in without five offensive starters that we started the season with," Middleton said on the postgame radio show. "Our goal was to come in and cut the ball up, take the air out of the ball and try to eat the time of possession.
"We had our opportunities; we had our had our chances, but I am super proud of the kids because they fought for four quarters. For us to be in a situation where we had a chance says a whole lot about this team and who we are and where we're headed."
Among the missing was quarterback
Henry Austad who was injured a week earlier against Tabor. He was replaced by Middleton's son Caden, a junior who was making his first collegiate start.
Middleton completed his first 10 passes and finished 18 of 26 for 124 yards with two interceptions. Running back
D'Heaven Domena had his best outing as a Coyote rushing for 176 yards on 27 carries.
"He played well," Middleton said of his son. "If you look at it, he managed the game, he gave us a chance. What (Domena's) done throughout the course of these last two weeks – hitting the hole, not trying to get too shifty – I mean he's impressed me. I feel like I've seen a different style of runner. He ran really, really hard today."
KWU finished with 328 total yards while Evangel had 247 that included 62 rushing on 22 carries (6.5 yards per carry). The Coyotes had the ball on offense for 37 minutes, 17 seconds compared to 22:43 for Evangel.
Linebacker
Jamison Price led the Wesleyan defense with 11 tackles, eight of them solo.
"We've played a lot of guys based on attrition and depth issues, but we've got to get a lot better," Middleton said.
The Coyotes scored first on
Talon Cope's 23-yard field goal with 12:02 left in the second quarter. It came at the end of a 17-play, 93-yard drive that started on the 1-yard line after KWU held Evangel on downs. Valor running plays on third and fourth down from the 1 were stopped shy of the goal line.
The Coyotes increased their lead to 6-0 on
Cole Segraves' 40-yard field with 2:33 remaining in the third quarter capping a 13-play, 56-yard drive.
Evangel's touchdown came on Reid Potts' 18-yard pass to Broc Lyle after a quick four-play, 40-yard drive. KWU had stopped Evangel on downs once again, this time at the 7-yard line early in the final period but was forced to punt from the 8 after three plays.
Potts was 17 of 27 passing for 179 yards and no interceptions.
The Coyotes and the rest of the KCAC take next week off before beginning play against divisional opponents. KWU plays Bissell Division foe Saint Mary at 1 p.m. on October 18 in Leavenworth. The Spires surprised Tabor 31-7 on Saturday in Hillsboro.
