Around the KCAC
All games 6 p.m. unless noted
Friends @ #6 Kansas Wesleyan
Kansas Wesleyan finished 12-1 last season, winning the KCAC title at 10-0. The Coyotes downed Baker 42-7 in the first round of the NAIA playoffs, but lost in the quarterfinals to Lindsey Wilson 35-24.
Friends went 3-7 last season overall and in the conference. The Falcons did end the season on a high note, stopping Bethany 34-31 in overtime and Ottawa 20-13 on the road.
McPherson @ #RV Sterling
Sterling was 7-3 last season overall and in the KCAC, finishing in a three-way tie with Bethel and Avila for second place in the conference. The Warriors lost their last two games of the season, falling to Kansas Wesleyan 38-13 and Tabor 34-30. The two losses knocked the Warriors out of the KCAC playoff picture.
Sterling received votes in the NAIA pre-season rankings.
McPherson finished last season 5-6, 5-5 in KCAC play. The Bulldogs finished the year on a three-game losing streak, falling to Kansas Wesleyan 48-14, Bethany 33-32 in overtime and Avila 34-25.
Tabor @ Southwestern
Tabor was 6-5, 5-5 in KCAC play. After a 2-3 start, the Bluejays won four of the last six. Tabor upset Sterling 34-30 in the season finale.
Southwestern was 5-6, 5-5 in KCAC play. The Moundbuilder lost four of its last six games, but did end the season with a 28-10 win over Saint Mary in the season finale.
Bethany @ Saint Mary ppd.
The game has been postponed with a make-up date to be determined.
In a statement from the Saint Mary athletic website, “Both schools continue to consider the safety of their students, faculty, staff, and larger communities as a primary concern.
“While both institutions believe their mitigation efforts have been largely successful to date, current headlines from other colleges as well as data from the state and our local communities suggest we are at a precarious moment in regards to this pandemic.”
Bethany names
interim coach
On Monday, Bethany named Tyrone Carter as its interim coach for the upcoming season.
Carter spent last season as the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at NCAA Division III Grinnell College in Iowa. Grinnell was 0-3 before canceling its season because of low numbers.
Carter also coached the offensive line and was run game coordinator at Saint Mary. He spent two seasons at Bethany as assistant head coach, offensive line coach and academic coordinator.
He also had stops at East Los Angeles College and Manual Arts High School in the Los Angeles area.
He played two years at Fresno State, winning a Western Athletic Conference title.
Carter succeeds Curran White, who went 4-6 in one season at Bethany.
According to the Salina Journal, White was relieved of his duties last week. The school has not commented about the move.
Pre-season
All-KCAC Team
Offense
QB Trey McGee#, Tabor, jr., Orlando
RB Keyshawn Wyatt^, Southwestern, sr., Dallas
RB Camryn Harrison*~ , Bethel, sr., Austin
RB James Reeder, Ottawa, jr., Lawrence,
FB Chantz Scurry*, Bethel, jr., Ardmore, Okla.
WR Stevie Williams*+%, Kansas Wesleyan, sr., Long Beach, Calif.
WR Devin Senerius^, Avila, sr., Clarkston, Mich.
WR Derrick Harper^, Tabor, sr., Fort Mitchell, Ala.
WR Chance Whitehead, Sterling, jr., Augusta
OL Nolan Harris, Kansas Wesleyan, jr., Lexington, Mo.
OL Dustin Rivera*+%, Southwestern, sr., Buckeye, Ariz.
OL Layne Becker^, Sterling, sr., Mulvane
OL Arnoldo Mendoza, Ottawa, sr., Corpus Christi, Texas
OL Ryan Junkermeier^, Bethel, so., Plainville
TE Janson Robeson^, Sterling, sr., Gainesville, Texas
UTL T.C. Smith, Sterling, so., Enid, Okla.
Defense
DL Darren Hicks^, Southwestern, jr., Haughton, La.
DL David Mares, Kansas Wesleyan, sr., Cathedral City, Calif.
DL Beaux Biggers, Sterling, sr., Enid, Okla.
DL Jacob Garcia*, Ottawa, sr., Corpus Christi, Texas
LB Grant Torgerson*~, Southwestern, sr., Cumming, Ga.
LB Nik Furlow*, Avila, jr., Blackwood, N.J.
LB Larry Hall, Bethany, jr., Belton, Mo.
LB Josh Seabolt*~, Bethel, jr., Cimarron
DB Kwame Sexton*~, Sterling, sr., Oklahoma City
DB Travon Crockett^, Southwestern, sr., Dallas
DB Dominic Brown*, Bethel, so., Luling, La.
DB Nick Holmes#, Saint Mary, sr., Lansing
DB Jaylin King#, Ottawa, sr., Huntsville, Ala.
DB Devin Johnston#, Ottawa, jr., Leavenworth
DB Jimmy Pitts#, Bethany, so., Notasulga, Ala.
Special Teams
K Michael Corrales, Ottawa, jr., San Jose
RET Christian Hopkins*~, Avila, sr., Bridgeport, Conn.
RET Terrell Lightfoot^, Southwestern, so., Grand Prairie, Texas
RET Kwame Sexton#, Sterling, sr., Oklahoma City
P Preston Patten^, Sterling, sr., Augusta
*-2019 All-KCAC First Team selection
^-2019 All-KCAC Second Team selection
#-2019 All-KCAC Honorable Mention selection
+-2019 AFCA NAIA All-American Second Team selection
~-2019 AFCA NAIA All-American Honorable Mention selection
%-2019 AP NAIA All-American Second Team selection