Bethel football rolls past Missouri Baptist

ST. LOUIS – Bethel football’s string of difficult season-opening games is over.

The Wildcats cruised to a 48-7 win Saturday at Missouri Baptist. Bethel had lost its first game the previous three seasons.

Junior quarterback Kerry Sellers (Lexington High) completed 9 of his 15 passes for 164 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Hunter Smith (four catches, 77 yards) caught both of the touchdowns.

But Bethel (1-0) dominated further in the run game, totaling 362 yards on 51 carries. Most prolific were Sellers (nine rushes, 93 yards), Khamari Robinson (three rushes, 68 yards) and Devan Raymer (11 carries, 59 yards).

Macio Hicks, Jermaine Foster, Peabody’s Tae-Tae Nesbitt, Huntingdon’s Logan Diebold and Liberty’s Octavion Cooper were among the other ballcarriers. Nesbitt ran for 24 yards, Diebold for 12 yards and a touchdown and Cooper for 10 yards. Cooper is a Southern Illinois transfer.

Sellers, Robinson, Hicks and Foster each had one touchdown run as well.

Reserve quarterback Wil Nicks completed one pass. Kicker Casey Kammerzill was 6-for-7 on extra point tries.

Defensively, Jensen Youngblood led Bethel with nine tackles. Brenton Davis was part of eight and Vic Czyzewski had five.

Bethel scored 14 points in each of the first three quarters and six in the fourth, allowing one second-quarter touchdown. Bethel outgained MBU 529 to 187.

The Wildcats have next Saturday off and then visit UT Martin for a 6:30 p.m. game Thursday, Sept. 10. Their next home game is at 1:30 p.m. Sept. 19 against Pikeville (Ky.).