NOBLE — The new-look Bethany Bronchos opened the season with a 21-13 win over 5A Noble Friday (Aug. 29).

For Bethany coach Jon Arthur, the non-district game him an early look at the newcomers playing big roles.

“Definitely knew there’s going to be some growing pains,” Arthur said via phone. “Week zero is going to be like that anyway.”

 Arthur pointed out that the team had seven guys on both sides of the ball that were newcomers or playing a bigger role.

“They’re kind of learning how to handle themselves and learning the speed of the game and all those kind of things.

Junior Wyatt Keefer and the Bronchos struck first.

Keefer lined up in the Wildcat formation and scored from four yards out with 7:21 left in the first quarter. The score capped an 85-yard drive.

Keefer finished with 151 yards on 22 carries.

Noble (0-1) answered with a big play. Bear senior Seth Wilson kept a drive alive by getting a first down on a fake punt.

Backed up farther later in the drive due to penalties, Noble senior quarterback Jackson Steely rolled to his right. Sophomore Koen Soll then slipped out of the backfield and caught a 55-yard touchdown pass eluding several Bronchos and breaking tackles for the score. That tied the game at 7-7.

Bethany couldn’t answer with a score and Noble got the ball back and drove to the Bethany 2-yard line. Senior Marcos Lopez sacked Steely and the Bears later settled for a 32-yard field goal to give Noble at 10-7 lead with 3:38 left before halftime.

The Bronchos stormed back down the field and senior Jagger Weaver caught a 19-yard touchdown pass from McLaren on a crossing route. Bethany regained the lead at 14-10.

Noble cut the lead one point in the third quarter. After a blocked Bethany punt, Rogers hit his second field goal of the game, this time from 28 yards. Bethany led, 14-13, with 6:51 left in the third quarter.

The Bronchos extended the lead with 11:30 in the fourth quarter on a 10-yard jet sweep by Seth Greiner. The senior broke a handful of tackles on his way to the end zone and Bethany led, 21-13.

“I think Seth Greiner for us was probably the best player on the field,” Arthur said. “He was a difference maker on both sides of the ball.”

He had nine receptions for 92 yards.

Arthur also praised Greiner for his work in the defensive secondary, that was tested by Noble’s air assault.

Arthur pointed out that the defense gave up only a pair of field goals after Noble’s early touchdown.

“ They did a lot of good things and had some young guys step up and make some plays that we needed to see.”

Junior Brody McLaren completed 13-of-21 passing for 150 yards with two touchdown passes.

UP NEXT

The Bronchos have a bye for week one of the season.

Bethany hosts 2A Jones (9-3) on Sept. 12 at 7 p.m.

The Longhorns fell to Bethany, 36-29, last season. Jones routed Luther, 56-6, Friday.

Photographs courtesy of Kristie Escoe of Life in Action Photography.

	1	2	3	4	F
Bethany (1-0)	7	7	0	7	21
Noble (0-1)	7	3	3	0	13