Crusaders host Baker for homecoming on Saturday

October 12, 2007
Contact: Evangel University Athletics 865-2815, Ext. 7282

Game 7
Evangel vs. Baker
Oct. 13, 1:30 p.m.
Homecoming
JFK Stadium - Springfield, Mo.

Go to the football broadcast page

Evangel Gets Fourth Season Win at Avila

The Crusaders defeated Avila 41-20 in Kansas City at Rockhurst High School’s Dasta Stadium on Oct. 6. The game, however, was closer than the score indicates.

EU’s Erik Brown booted a 30-yard field goal to score the only points by either team in the first quarter. EU then scored 16 points and Avila managed six in the second quarter. Following an Avila fumble that was returned to the 17-yard line by EU’s Nate Thomas, Derek Rasmussen hooked up with Zach Troutman for a TD on the first play from scrimmage and Brown added the extra point to give EU a 10-0 lead with 12:46 left in the first half. Avila’s offensive line and running back Laurence Subelka then put on a rushing clinic on a 19-play, 77-yard drive. Subelka gained 64 of the yards and scored from 1-yard out. The extra point, however, was blocked by EU’s Travis Meacham. Joel Stevens then picked up the ball and outran everyone to the end zone to score two points on the defensive extra point play and the score was 12-6.

On the ensuing kickoff, EU’s Jared Stevens had a 35-yard return to give the Crusaders good field position. Five plays later, Shedrick McClenton ran six yards for a TD and Brown’s kick was good with 31 seconds left and EU led 19-6 at the half.

Neither team scored in the third quarter, but the teams lit up the scoreboard for 36 points in the last 15 minutes. One minute into the fourth quarter, Rasmussen connected with McClenton on a 12-yard TD pass and then found Todd Drury in the end zone for a two-point conversion to extend EU’s lead to 21 points (27-6). Avila then lit up some lights on the scoreboard on 9-yard and 5-yard TD passes from Billy Firn to Doug Wendel. Andrew Korth’s second extra point then closed the gap to seven points, 27-20, with 5:32 left in the game.

On the ensuing kickoff, Evangel’s (Nate) Thomas provided more heroics with a 92-yard return for a touchdown and Brown’s extra point put EU up by 14 points, 34-20), with 5:32 left.

Evangel at Avila, 10-6-07

EU then kicked off and got the ball back when the ball was fumbled and recovered by the Crusaders’ Colton Moos at the EU 35-yard line. Four plays later, McClenton scored his third TD of the game on a 31-yard pass from Rasmussen and Brown’s extra point with 3:08 left in the game extended EU’s lead to 41-20. Avila drove to the EU 42-yard line, but turned the ball over on downs to Evangel and the Crusaders ran out the clock to claim their fourth win of the year.

McClenton finished the game with 73 rushing yards on 10 carries and one TD. He also had two receiving TDs with three catches for 43 yards.  Jared Stevens led all receivers with six receptions for 49 yards. Rasmussen passed for 188 yards, completing 16 of 18 passes with no interceptions. Avila’s (Laurence) Subelka ran for 134 tough yards on 33 carries and one TD. Firn completed 23 of 37 passes for 174 yards and no interceptions. His favorite target was Anthony Kelly. Kelly caught 10 passes for 88 yards.

Evangel’s defense was led by Brandon Mires. He had 13 tackles, including one tackle for a loss. (Nathan) Thomas finished the game with nine stops and the 28-yard fumble return that set up an Evangel TD. Nick Saviano topped the Avila defenders with eight tackles and Jesse Richardson had seven.

Baker Defeats William Jewell with Five Field Goals

Had the Wildcats known, they would have named their homecoming game last weekend “The Derek Doerfler Show.” Doerfler scored all of Baker’s points in the Wildcats’ 15-13 home win over William Jewell on Oct. 6. His final field goal of the day sailed a school-record 62-yards with 48 seconds left in the game to provide the winning points. Doerfler also had field goals of 27, 20, 53, and 32 yards. In addition to setting a new school record for longest field goal (62 yards), he also set a new mark for field goals made in a game (5). For his efforts, Doerfler was named the NAIA Special Teams Player of the Week and the Heart of America Athletic Conference Special Teams Player of the Week. In addition to being the main offensive weapon for the Wildcats, Doerfler also averaged 67.5 yards on kickoffs and four of his kickoffs resulted in touchbacks.

Defense played a role in Baker’s win, too. The Wildcat defensive unit allowed William Jewell just 35 yards of total offense in the first half. Neither team accumulated much yardage on offense and both teams were nearly equal on the stat sheet. Baker had 213 yards of offense to William Jewell’s 220. Baker tallied its total yardage by getting 145 yards on the ground and 68 in the air. William Jewell’s ground game totaled 148 yards and the WJ passing game managed 72 yards.

Richie Bryant led the Baker rushing stats with 114 yards on 24 carries. Mack Brown completed 8 of 18 passes with no interceptions for 68 yards. Beau Smith, Marck Kabbany and Bryant each caught two passes. Micah Mason, Spencer Curran, and Brad Page each tallied eight tackles on defense. Page had two of the team’s six tackles for losses. Page and Herb Askew each had an interception.

Heart of America Athletic Conference

2007 Football Standings, thru Oct. 6
Rank Team Record
1 Lindenwood 5-0
2 Graceland 5-1
  MidAmerica Nazarene 5-1
4 Evangel 3-2
  Missouri Valley 3-2
  Baker 3-2
7 William Jewell 3-3
8 Benedictine 2-4
9 Avila 1-5
10 Culver-Stockton 0-5
  Central Methodist 0-5

Bodoin, Stevens and EU Team on NAIA Top-10 Stat Lists

On this week’s NAIA stat report, EU’s Joel Stevens ranks No. 7 in punt return yards per attempt (14.4). Chris Bodoin is tied for No. 9 in passes defended. He is averaging 1.5 per game. As a team, Evangel is No. 2 in fourth down conversions (83.3), No. 2 in kickoff return yards per attempt (27.8), and No. 4 in third down conversions (52.5). 

Wildcats and the Top-10 NAIA Stat Lists

Derek Doerfler ranks No. 1 in field goals per game (2.0) and No. 5 in kick scoring (7.3). Spencer Curran is No. 2 in tackles per game (12.3). As a team, Baker is No. 10 in field goals percentage (85.7). 

Four Conference Teams on National Poll, EU Moves up in Votes

This week’s (Oct. 8) NAIA national football poll has Lindenwood at No. 7, MidAmerica Nazarene at No. 10, Graceland at No. 13 and Missouri Valley at No. 18. Evangel received 13 votes - up from the three votes of a week ago. EU was ranked No. 24 on the Sept. 24 poll, however, after a 49-31 loss to then No. 11 MidAmerica Nazarene, Evangel fell out of the national rankings.

Crusaders vs. Wildcats, 2006

Baker couldn’t get its offense running in last year’s Sept. 23 game in Baldwin City and Evangel won 24-0. Baker managed just 111 yards (41 rush, 70 pass) and Evangel amassed 467 yards (339 rush, 128 pass). Evangel’s Shedrick McClenton rushed for a career-high 212 yards on 23 carries and scored two TDs. Derek Rasmussen completed 12 of 27 passes for 128 yards with Edward Sands snatching five of his passes for 81 yards. Von Dixon also scored on a 25 yard interception return and Erik Brown nailed his three extra-point kicks. Trevor Gies came in during the third quarter and added a 28-yard field goal to finish the scoring. Mack Brown completed 10 of 27 passes for 70 yards and had three passes picked off. Seth Williams ran for 33 yards on eight carries. Beau Gretch led EU’s defense with nine stops. Andrew Matrone added six with a sack. Micah Mason was Baker’s top defender, accumulating 13 tackles, a tackle for loss, and a pass breakup.

Evangel vs. Baker, The Series

Evangel leads the series 10-9 and has won five of the last six contests. In JFK, EU has a 4-1 record in JFK vs. Baker (5-0 on the field). The loss was a forfeit loss in 1988 (EU won 31-3) for the use of two ineligible players. Last season Evangel registered a shutout, defeating Baker 24-0 in Baldwin City, Kans.

Coaches

Stat Leaders for EU

Baker Stat Leaders

EU’s Running Back’s Games with 75 or More Yards

Shedrick McClenton II, senior tailback
Date Opponent Atts. Yds. TDs Yds/Att. LG
9/8/2007 Langston 28 147 0 5.3 23
9/30/2006 Culver-Stockton 23 116 1 5 22
9/23/2006 Baker 23 212 2 9.2 72
9/16/2006 Avila 20 132 1 6.6 38
9/9/2006 MidAmerica Nazarene 20 177 1 8.9 23
9/22/2007 Missouri Valley 33 88 0 2.7 15
10/29/2005 William Jewell 15 81 2 5.4 14
10/8/2005 Lindenwood 8 83 0 10.4 39
10/1/2005 Culver-Stockton 6 78 0 13 41
Jared Stevens, senior fullback/receiver
Date Opponent Atts. Yds. TDs Yds/Att. LG
10/29/2005 William Jewell 13 145 2 11.2 80
9/25/2004 Benedictine 12 124 1 10.3 50
10/9/2004 William Jewell 14 124 1 8.9 39
10/23/2004 Central Methodist 20 104 1 5.2 34
11/12/2005 Central Methodist 9 91 1 10.1 46
11/13/2004 Avila 11 87 1 7.9 44
9/4/2004 Baker 7 83 0 11.9 36
9/17/2005 Avila 9 77 1 8.6 52
Ryan Polite, junior running back
Date Opponent Atts. Yds. TDs Yds/Att. LG
9/29/2007 MidAmerica Nazarene 34 153 2 4.5 24
9/23/2006 Baker 13 81 0 6.2 19
Troy Stegall, senior wide receiver
Date Opponent Atts. Yds. TDs Yds/Att. LG
10/14/2006 Benedictine 24 102 1 4.3 16
Rasmussen's 200-Yard Passing Games
Date Opponent Comp-Att-Int Yds. TD LG
9/10/2005 MidAmerica Nazarene 25-53-2 393 3 70
9/3/2005 Missouri Valley 13-20-0 349 5 90
9/30/2006 Culver-Stockton 17-30-0 342 3 89
9/15/2007 Central Methodist 21-29-1 302 2 58
10/15/2005 Benedictine 20-38-0 286 2 60
10/1/2005 Culver-Stockton 19-32-2 259 2 83
9/9/2006 MidAmerica Nazarene 13-21-2 243 3 69
9/24/2005 Baker 20-31-0 238 2 44
9/22/2007 Missouri Valley 16-31-0 235 3 60 (2)
11/19/2005 McKendree 14-19-0 223 3 51
10/2/2004 Graceland 8/11/2000 212 3 75
9/17/2005 Avila 13-29-1 207 0 48