Oct 17, 2025

🏈 Coyotes open Gene Bissell Division play on the road against Saint Mary.

Posted Oct 17, 2025 11:01 PM


GAME INFORMATION

  1. Kickoff: 1 p.m.
  2. Day: Saturday
  3. Location: Charles Berkel Memorial Stadium, Leavenworth
  4. Records: Kansas Wesleyan 4-2; Saint Mary 2-4

LIVE COVERAGE

  1. The video stream of the game will be available online on the Urban Edge Network (https://urbanedgenetwork.net/watch/3073). The game will also be streamed on the KCAC Network (https://kcacnetwork.com/kansaswesleyan/) The KINA Radio Pregame Show with Tyler Henry and Brooks Garretson.
  2. Live Stats will be available at https://kwucoyotes.com/sidearmstats/football/summary
  3. Radio coverage will be on KINA starting at noon with Henry and Garretson. The online radio stream is available at https://radio.securenetsystems.net/ce/kina2.

THE SERIES

The Coyotes have won the last seven games including a 38-19 victory last season in Leavenworth. They've outscored the Spires 332-63 during the winning streak. KWU has a 19-4 advantage in the series since 2001.

KANSAS WESLEYAN AT A GLANCE

  1. The Coyotes lost to Evangel 7-6 in Nixa, Mo. in their game before the bye week last week. It was their final contest against teams from the Ted Kessinger Division; the last five games coming against Bissell Division opponents.
  2. KWU led Evangel 3-0 at halftime on Talon Cope's 23-yard field goal in the second quarter. Cole Segraves' 40-yard field goal late in the third quarter extended the lead to 6-0 but Evangel took the lead with 9:40 left in the game. The Coyotes outgained the Valor in total yardage 332-247, held them to 68 yards rushing on 22 carries and ran 73 plays to EU's 49. They also committed just two penalties for 15 yards.
  3. Caden Middleton replaced the injured Henry Austad at quarterback. Middleton, the son of KWU head coach Matt Middleton, completed his first 10 passes and was 18 for 124 yards and two interceptions in his first collegiate start. D'Heaven Domena had a career-best day finishing with 180 yards rushing on 28 carries - 6.4 yards per carry - and has 519 yards on 93 carries (5.6 per carry) this season. Rhadarious Lomax-Spivey had a team-high seven receptions for 39 yards against Evangel.
  4. The defense has been superb through six games as opponents average 10.8 points and 239.2 total yards - just 68.7 rushing. Linebackers Myles Elam and Jamison Price lead the way with 43 and 42 tackles respectively while safety Taylor Collins has 35. Tackle Josh King-Bradley has a team-high five sacks.
  5. KWU led Saint Mary 38-7 at halftime a year ago. The Coyotes had 384 yards rushing (461 total) and averaged a whopping 10.1 yards per carry. Luke Armstrong ran for 264 yards and three touchdowns and Zarek Fewell had 115 yards and a score.

SAINT MARY AT A GLANCE

  1. The Spires stunned Tabor 31-7 in Hillsboro in their game before the break and have won two of their last three. They defeated Avila 48-19 and lost to Bethel 38-37 before the victory over Tabor.
  2. Saint Mary is 0-3 at home with losses to Evangel, Bethany and Bethel. KWU is 2-1 on the road with victories over Bethany and Bethel and the loss to Evangel.
  3. The Spires average 33 points and 372.7 total yards - 195 passing and 177.7 rushing. Quarterback Erick Covington has thrown for 1,149 yards with 12 touchdowns and five interceptions. He has also rushed for 205 yards and five touchdowns. Running back Kameron Smith has 587 yards on the ground and seven touchdowns. Michael Gazzana is the top wide out with 32 catches for 615 yards and six touchdowns.
  4. USM opponents average 35 points and 440 yards - 277 passing and 167 rushing. The defense blanked Tabor for the final three quarters, forced four turnovers and had four sacks. The Bluejays finished with 90 yards rushing on 35 carries - 2.6 per try.
  5. Lance Hinson is in the sixth season of his second stint as the Spires head coach. He coached them from 2005-14 then spent five years at McMurray (Texas) before returning in 2019. This is his 31st season as a college coach.

KWU HEAD COACH MATT MIDDLETON

"I felt like Caden did a really good job managing the game (vs. Evangel). Obviously, there's a couple throws I'd like to have back from him; there's a busted coverage I'd like to have back too. We ran 73 plays to their 49; we had 38 minutes of clock possession of a 60-minute game. We set out to do that.

"What I saw (against Evangel) was a flash of a really good football team playing another really good football team. Even though we're 4-2 that's the first point that I felt, 'okay, we're solid.' If we can continue to play this brand of football, we'll be able to compete with a lot of them down the stretch.

"At the end of the day football is about explosives. I hate to say this but the longer you're on the field the worse things can happen. We had a 17-play drive against Evangel, and we came away with three points. What we don't have is big play breakaway capability and that is a speed thing. We lack top speed to be able to break long runs and take the top off (pass defenses). That's not a knock on the guys that are here, it's just facts. We are doing our best to try to manufacture some explosives with some different looks that we're giving.

"(Saint Mary) is a scary team on paper. Offensively, they're electric, they have playmakers. The quarterback is a really good player; they've got two slots that can play. They have explosives on that side of the ball. Defensively up front they create havoc. ... We've seen all kinds of different looks. Coach Henson has been there a while; he's a defensive guy. He's going to do whatever it takes to give them an opportunity to be successful."

NEXT WEEK

The Coyotes are back home for Homecoming and a game against Sterling at 5 p.m. Oct. 25 on Gene Bissell Field at JRI Hospitality Stadium and the Graves Family Sports Complex.

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