ELGIN — Bethany’s season came to a close Friday (Nov. 14) as Elgin senior Ritson Meyer scored five touchdowns in a 49-7 rout in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs.

Bethany coach Jon Arthur lamented that his offense wasn’t able to finish drives after being able to move the ball at times.

Defensively, the Bronchos (5-6) held the defending champ Owls to a 7-0 lead after one quarter on Meyer’s first touchdown.

The Owls (11-0), riding a 25-game winning streak, broke the game open in the second quarter with three touchdown runs from Meyer. Elgin led 28-0 at halftime

In the fourth quarter, Broncho senior Seth Greiner scored on a 72-yard strike from junior Brody McLaren with 5:05 left and Bethany avoided the shutout.

Greiner’s eight catches in the game enabled him to break the school record for receptions in a season with 70 this season. That surpassed the old mark of 66 catches set by Ben Lawson in 2019.

Despite Meyer’s output, Arthur said his defense played the run well but couldn’t get off the field.

“We had some tackling issues at times, but we had guys in position a lot of times,” Arthur said via phone. “Kids did a good job running the game plan, just sometimes you don’t execute it real well.”

Arthur also said Elgin’s offensive line was as good as you’re going to see in class 4A, them and Tuttle are both by far and away the best at that position.”

Arthur praised sophomore Breck Brady and senior Chase Clanton for plugging up the middle forcing the running game outside.

The loss marked the end for the senior class of six players, the lowest number in a while for Bethany.

“They’re some really talented guys,” Arthur said of the seniors. “They’ve done a great job just being hard-working guys.”

In addition to Greiner’s reception record, fellow senior Jagger Weaver set the school’s all-time returns record this season. 

	1	2	3	4	F
Bethany (5-6)	0	0	0	7	7
Elgin (11-0)	7	21	14	7	49