Sep 17, 2026

🏈 Coyotes welcome Bethel to Bissell Field for Family Weekend clash on Saturday

Posted Sep 17, 2026 10:41 PM

It's Family Weekend at KWU as the Coyotes take on Bethel in a Kansas Conference game.

GAME INFORMATION

  1. Kickoff: 6 p.m.
  2. Day: Saturday
  3. Location: JRI Hospitality Stadium in the Graves Family Sports Complex
  4. Records: Kansas Wesleyan 2-1, Bethel 0-3
  5. Tickets are available at www.kwucoyotes.com/tickets
  6. VERY FEW reserved spots in the Premium Tailgate Lot remain available for Saturday. Reserve your spot now! - www.kwucoyotes.com/tickets

LIVE COVERAGE

  1. The video stream of the game will be available online on the Coyote Sports Network, powered by the Urban Edge Network (https://www.urbanedgenetwork.net/watch/1776). The game will also be streamed on the KCAC Network (https://kcacnetwork.com/kansaswesleyan/?B=4463454). Saturday's network stream will include the KINA Pregame show starting at 5 p.m.
  2. Live Stats will be available at https://kwucoyotes.com/sidearmstats/football/summary
  3. The KINA Radio Pregame Show with Tyler Henry and Brooks Garretson will start at 5 p.m. on KINA Radio. The online radio stream is available at https://radio.securenetsystems.net/ce/kina2.

THE SERIES

KWU has won three in a row and 16 of the last 17. The Coyotes won 38-7 last season in North Newton and are 10-2 at home against the Threshers since 2001. They have a 21-4 advantage in the series during that span. KWU leads the all-time series 63-25-2.

KANSAS WESLEYAN AT A GLANCE

  1. The Coyotes defeated Avila 35-28 in overtime last Saturday in Kansas City, Mo. Troy Sylve scored the winning touchdown on a two-yard run in the extra period - his third score of the game.
  2. Sylve, who also plays defensive end, was the offensive star working out of the Mule Train Package, an alignment that relies on big men from the offense and defense. Sylve, who played quarterback in high school in Walker, La, finished the game with 102 yards rushing on 13 carries. His other touchdowns were a six-yard run in the first quarter and an 11-yard run in the third. He has 138 yards rushing on 26 carries (5.3 per carry) and six touchdowns this season.
  3. Quarterbacks Caleb Deal and Wyatt Oak were a combined 15 of 27 passing for 124 yards and a touchdown - Deal's 33-yard strike to Kevo Taylor late in the second quarter.
  4. The defense kept Avila out of the end zone during its possession in OT. Gavin Skerik secured the victory by sacking quarterback Joseph Vick on fourth down. KWU led 28-14 after three quarters, but the Eagles rallied and tied it 28-28 in the final period.
  5. Avila had just 65 yards rushing on 33 carries. The Coyotes sacked Vick five times, linebackers Skerik and Myles Elam with two apiece. Skerik had a team-best nine tackles, eight of them solo.

BETHEL AT A GLANCE

  1. The Threshers have been through a gauntlet in their first three games playing Southwestern, No. 18 McPherson and No. 7 Friends. They were outscored 204-38 in the three contests including an 83-24 loss to Friends last week in North Newton.
  2. Friends had 612 total yards and Bethel 360 that included 266 passing. The Falcons led 55-7 at halftime and 76-14 after three quarters.
  3. Quarterback Brady Norman was 19 of 32 passing, two touchdowns, an interception and was sacked four times. Xavier Craven had 82 yards rushing on 10 carries and a touchdown, and Josiah Buller caught six passes for 120 yards and a touchdown. Kenyon McMillan caught five for 97 yards and a TD.
  4. Norman has completed 64.4 percent of his passes for 596 yards, two touchdowns and five interceptions this season.
  5. Bethel is coached by Josh Lawson who's in his second season. He coached at Calvin (Mich.) before coming to Bethel. He has also coached at Arkansas Tech, Stephen F. Austin, Southern Arkansas, Alabama-Birmingham and Idaho State.

HEAD COACH MATT MIDDLETON

"We found a way to compete and win with our backs against the wall (against Avila). I thought we played our best two possessions in overtime and I'm talking about offense and defense. I was really proud of the kids.

"I wouldn't call (the Mule Train) a gadget; I'd call it a shove it down your neck type deal. That's kind of who we are; that's been kind of our M.O. and what we've been able to do. (Sylve) runs the ball really well. He played in the highest classification in Louisiana and carried them to the quarterfinals. Won 10 games. He's special, but we've still got to have him at defensive end, so we've got to be super careful how much we wear down on those guys.

"I'm still looking for consistency (from the quarterbacks). I love both kids; they both have good qualities. But let's make no mistake about it, we've got to find a way to throw the football effectively. (A year ago) we were throwing for 225, 230 yards a game, and we were running the ball well. Now we're rushing for 260 and throwing for about 140. We've got to flip that narrative.

"(Norman) is more of a pure passer. He's not afraid to throw the football, mechanics are really good. The biggest issue for them is, will they be able to protect him against us, and we know that. We're going to get after him, that's who we are; we've done that with everybody. We don't hide it; there is no secret to our game plan."

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR DAVID LEONARD

"(Bethel) runs the ball really hard. Their backs, you couldn't tell if it was fourth quarter, third quarter, first snap of the ballgame. They have a veteran group (of receivers), guys that are going to make contested catches, guys that are going to make difficult catches, and a quarterback who throws the ball on time. So, it's a very disciplined offense that is going to play extremely hard.

"I've been impressed (with Norman). He will extend the plays; he'll get out of the pocket and look downfield. He's not afraid to stay in the pocket and deliver a really good pass knowing that he's going to get hit. We've got to apply pressure, squeeze windows; make those throws challenging. Obviously get pressure, try to force him to get the ball out with someone in his face.

"(Sylve) is a special talent. When I originally recruited him, I saw a couple of offensive plays. With an athlete like that there's a lot of things that you can do. He's got the size and the speed, and I think it's awesome. I absolutely love (The Meal Train); the players love it too."

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