Bethlehem Academy issued the following announcement on Sep. 17.
Cardinal football with a thrilling road win last night, beating Randolph 28-27 on their homecoming night. "Cardinals head coach Jim Beckmann said it was a tough situation but 'the offense moved us out of there' and the defense made the stop. He said his boys played super hard in the first half, and the Rockets moved the ball well on the Cardinals in the second half, but the made the stops they needed to get the win." (from the FDN article below). Way to go, Cardinals!!! #CARDS #CardinalPride
From the Faribault Daily News:
Bethlehem Academy defensive stops seal 28-27 win over Randolph
"Bethlehem Academy defenders stopped a late two-point conversion pass and a fourth-quarter, fourth-down pass to thwart a comeback campaign by Randolph and seal a 28-27 victory over their cross-sectional rivals.
The Cardinals built a lead with two scores in the first quarter, QB Elliott Viland hitting Hudson Dillon for a five yard touchdown, with a two-point conversion run by Viland at the 7:22 mark. Oliver Linnemann had a 19-yard touchdown run to put BA up 14-0 (PAT two-point pass failed). Randolph answered in the second quarter with a 19-yard scoring pass to Collin Otto and PAT to make it 14-7, Cardinals.
Viland answered for Bethlehem Academy with a pass to Charlie King for a 28-yard score. The two-point conversion run failed, making it 20-7 heading into halftime.
It was Randolph's homecoming, with packed bleachers and a thin layer of fog. After the homecoming royalty and annual grade school paraders cleared, the Rockets started to chip away at the lead. They opened the half with a long kickoff return to deep in Cardinals territory, but it was negated by a holding call.
The Rockets held the Cardinals and later drove down the field to score on a Charles Gustafson run of 18 yards, with 1:35 left in the third quarter, but the Cardinals defense blocked the PAT kick to make it 20-13, BA.
The Rockets' momentum continued in the fourth quarter with a 16-yard scoring pass from Bennorette to J.J. Root. Bennorette then hit Tyson Cooreman for the two-point conversion the lead for the first time in the game, at 21-20, with 10:35 left in the game.
Bethlehem Academy's ensuing drive looked to be stalling when they faced a third down and six on their own 14-yard line. But Viland hit a wide-open Hudson Dillon down the right sideline for an 81-yard scoring strike. A two-point conversion run by Willie Porter put the Cardinals up 28-21.
Randolph answered at the 4:32 mark with a 19-yard pass by Bennerotte for a touchdown by Quinn Sabila. The ensuing extra-point pass was knocked away by the Cardinals defense, leaving Bethlehem Academy ahead, 28-27. Randolph employ a trick kickoff in the game, and in the fourth quarter the final kick stopped at about the two-yard line, and the the Cardinals' returner covered the ball.
The Cardinals were able to run out enough to get off a punt, setting up the defensive stop that sealed the victory with under 1:30 left to play.
Cardinals head coach Jim Beckmann said it was a touch situation but "the offense moved us out of there" and the defense made the stop. He said his boys played super hard in the first half, and the Rockets moved the ball well on the Cardinals in the second half, but the made the stops they needed to get the win.
Bethlehem Academy finished with 302 total yards. Viland hit nine of 15 passes for 191 yards and three TDs. Dillon caught two passes for 86 yards and two scores. King caught three for 43 yards and a score.
Derrick Sando led the rushing game with 48 yards on 15 carries, Linnemann had 29 yards on four carries, Viland had four carries for 16 yards and Willie Potter had four runs for nine yards.
Randolph had 349 total yards of offense, led by Bennerotte's 167 yards passing and three aerial TDs, and Charles Gustafson, who had 19 carries for 158 yards."
Original source can be found here.
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