Keiser University Athletics

Score:  No. 2 Keiser Seahawks 48, (rv) Bethel (Tenn.) Wildcats 7
Records: Keiser (1-1), Bethel (Tenn.) (1-1)
Location: Walter Butler Stadium – McKenzie, Tenn.
Time of Game: 2:55
Weather: Partly Sunny, 89 degrees, wind 5 mph

Raphael Ekechi rushed for 113 yards and three touchdowns to lead No. 2 Keiser to a 48-7 rout of (rv) Bethel (Tenn.) on Saturday, as the Seahawks improved to 2-1 on the season. Holding the Wildcats to just 39 rushing yard, the Seahawks defense sent the Bethel offense going the wrong way for much of the game, recording seven tackles for loss, including five sacks. That performance coupled with a punishing running game by the Seahawk offense led to a lopsided total in time of possession, 38:35 to 21:25.
 
Keiser piled up 495 yards of total offense - 349 on the ground and 146 through the air — and scored on seven of its final eight possessions to pull away from the Wildcats (1-2) in front of 650 fans.

The Seahawks wasted little time asserting control. Ekechi capped an eight-play, 50-yard opening drive with a 20-yard touchdown run at the 9:19 mark of the first quarter, and Dorian Hall added a 38-yard field goal on Keiser's next possession to make it 10-0.
 
Quarterback JT Tabora, who finished 15 of 26 for 110 yards and a touchdown, found Julian Garcia for a 3-yard score late in the second quarter, and Ekechi punched in a 1-yard touchdown as time expired in the half to send Keiser into the break with a 24-0 lead. That scoring drive alone covered 91 yards on 12 plays.
 
Bethel got on the board just seconds into the second half when Silas Teat connected with Micah Jones on a 90-yard touchdown strike - Jones' only catch of the game - cutting the deficit to 24-7 with 7:51 left in the third quarter. But Keiser answered immediately, needing just six plays to cover 55 yards before Jontay Hais scampered in from 8 yards out to push the lead back to 31-7.
 
Hais finished with 85 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries, while Ekechi added his third rushing touchdown of the night early in the fourth quarter on an 8-play, 86-yard drive. Hall connected on a 37-yard field goal to make it 40-7, and backup quarterback Damari Charlton - who also ran for 42 yards on four carries - capped the scoring with a 1-yard touchdown run with 17 seconds left, with Hall hitting Keo Jenkins on a two-point conversion pass to make it 48-7.
 
Dallas Desouza led Keiser's receivers with six catches for 60 yards, and Israel Marion added four receptions for 25 yards to go with 68 return yards on two kickoffs, including a 45-yarder, and 35 more on punt returns.
 
Defensively, Aiden Malcolm paced the Seahawks with eight tackles, including three for loss, while Keiser's defense sacked Bethel quarterbacks five times and held the Wildcats to just 232 yards of total offense.
 
Teat completed 5 of 15 passes for 168 yards with a touchdown for Bethel, while Ryan Kirk led the Wildcats' ground game with 53 net yards on 13 carries.
 
The Seahawks will return home to host the Cumberlands (Ky.) Patriots on Saturday, September 26. Game time from the Keiser Football Field is set for 3:00 PM.
 
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• Weather at kickoff – Partly sunny, 89 degrees, wind 5 mph
• Today's captains – Tommie Battle IV, Abdur Bey III, Dallas Desouza, Austin Dockery, Kymani Edwin, Darrell Livingston, Malik Razz
• Keiser wore their white jersey and white pants (first time this season) 
• With the win, Keiser improved to 4-1 all-time versus Bethel (Tenn.)
• Keiser has now won four straight over the Wildcats
• Keiser is now 38-11 all-time in road contests
• The Seahawks are now 3-1 all-time in the state of Tennessee
• Keiser improves to 11-6 all-time versus teams from the Mid-South Conference
• Running backs Raphael Ekechi recorded the first 100-yard rushing game of his Keiser career, producing 113 yards on 21 carries with three touchdowns
• The Seahawks posted 349 yards on the ground on Saturday, marking the fourth time Keiser has rushed for more than 300 yards in a game in the last three seasons
• The five rushing touchdowns by the Seahawks were tied for the third most in a single game by a Keiser squad
• Jontay Hais added a season-best 85 yards rushing on 12 carries, including his second rushing touchdown of the season
• JT Tabora connected with Julian Garcia for a three yard touchdown pass for the QB's first passing TD of the season
• The catch also marked the first collegiate touchdown for Garcia 
• The Seahawks defense held the Wildcats to just 39 yards rushing on Saturday - the fewest rushing yards allowed since Nov. 11, 2023 (Florida Memorial - 30 yards)

 

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