Changes in MIAC: Bethel's Steve Johnson retiring; St. John's missing title game

The MIAC football championship will be decided without the involvement of St. John's. This also will be the first time the Johnnies will miss the Division III playoffs since 2013.

That's eight in a row, since there was no season in the pandemic fall of 2020.

Come next November, there will be another familiar presence missing from the MIAC championship hunt, when Steve Johnson is observing from a distance rather than coaching the Bethel Royals.

Johnson announced Monday that he will retire from coaching after this season, his 34th after arriving at Bethel to take over a basement dweller and turning the Royals into perpetual contenders.

The MIAC lost St. Thomas starting in 2021 and went to a two-division format to mollify the weak bottom half of the 10 football programs.

The result the first two years was St. John's (Northwoods) vs. Bethel (Skyline) on the final Saturday of the schedule, with the Johnnies winning both.

On this wonderful late fall Saturday, Bethel was at home and needed a victory over Concordia (Moorhead) to reach the title game. As the afternoon progressed, Johnson's Royals pulled away for a 31-14 victory.

They will be home again next Saturday as the title game host. No Johnnies, though. They took a Northwoods loss — 38-35 — at Gustavus two weeks ago and needed a Carleton victory over the Gusties to have a chance at another MIAC title.

Nope. That dynamic Gusties passing attack took care of Carleton, winning 38-20, and will have a chance to win the school's first MIAC football title since 1987.

The MIAC domination of Bethel, St. John's and now-departed St. Thomas dates to 2004. Concordia won it that season, the last team other than collections of Royals, Johnnies or Tommies to do so.

Avoiding defeat at Bethel will be a monumental task for Gustavus, even if it does have receiver Jake Breitbach, destined to be the MIAC Player of the Year.

Bethel defeated Gustavus 37-28 at home Sept. 30. The Royals are also 19-0 against MIAC teams other than St. John's (1-4) in the three seasons of division play.

The Royals received a second playoff bid for the MIAC and made an underdog run to the quarterfinals — and actually had mighty Mary Hardin-Baylor on the ropes for a time.

They started this season at 1-2, with a shellacking at home from powerful Wartburg and a road loss at St. John's. The Royals have won six in a row now, some walkovers but others, such as Saturday's victory, when they had the look of their old physical selves.

The battle between Breit­bach and Bethel's excellent secondary — including Devin Williams, Nate Farm and MSU Mankato transfer Matt Jung — will be intriguing, if not game-deciding.

On Saturday, Jung intercepted a pass floating high to the sideline on the game's fourth play and took it 45 yards for a touchdown. Later, he forced a fumble with a big hit and Bethel recovered.

Joey Kidder, Bethel's own standout receiver, is back near full speed after experiencing both low and high sprains to his left ankle. He caught a 54-yard touchdown pass from George Bolt to make it 17-7 in the first half, then threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to Micah Niewald (another standout receiver) early in the second half.

"We've been practicing that for a couple of weeks," Kidder said. "Just waiting for the right time."

All in all, a satisfying performance, but not the most emotional part of the afternoon. Several hundred of the Bethel fans went on the field after the game. A good share gathered behind the players to hear Johnson's postgame comments.

This address takes place under the north goalposts and includes noble thoughts such as "Run to stay in the fight" and "Soft heart, tough sucker."

The loyal Bethelites then turned en masse toward the far end zone, and there came a 10-minute video of former players paying tribute to Johnson.

So, why are you quitting, coach?

Johnson gave a shrug and said: "I have other things I want to do in life. Family. Speak to people. Maybe write a book, although somebody said, 'You should read one first.' "

Then a blonde 3 ½-year-old boy came racing through the mass of adults and tugged on Johnson's trousers. The coach picked him up and said:

"This is Jackson. One of the three grandkids about the same age.'

More time to be Grandpa — another thing in life.