Reusse: In entertaining fashion, St. John’s outscores Bethel for MIAC football championship

COLLEGEVILLE, MINN. – The MIAC football schedule called for conference play to start on Sept. 28. The matchups included St. John’s visiting Bethel, an early test for the league’s two power programs.

The Johnnies arrived with Aaron Syverson as a fourth-year starter at quarterback. Bethel would be rolling with Cooper Drews, a sophomore transfer from St. John’s who had not thrown a collegiate pass.

The action was competitive for a time on that sunny Saturday, then St. John’s pulled away for a 45-20 victory. Yet, there was a strong conviction that there was not a four-touchdown difference in the overall strength of these two teams.

The MIAC went to a division system after St. Thomas’ departure in fall 2021 and there was a probability of a rematch on what’s called “championship week.” St. John’s ran through the competition, tested only once at Concordia. Bethel did the same — with an easier win last week at Concordia.

So there it was Saturday — St. John’s vs. Bethel — and there was nothing comfortable about this 41-33 Johnnies victory on their home turf.

“I was hoping it wouldn’t be a shootout,” St. John’s coach Gary Fasching said. “It wasn’t that in the first half, but it turned into one at the finish.”

No kidding, Coach: Johnnies 13-9 in the first half, 28-24 in the second.

When it was over, Bethel had 411 yards and St. John’s 410. Syverson was a tremendous 32-for-44 for 419 yards and five touchdowns, but he also was sacked eight times.

Drews went 32-for-49, with an interception, 274 yards and four touchdowns. Eight games later, he wasn’t the same quarterback the same college novice encountered in September.

Yet, in the end it was Syverson, it was his dynamic receivers Dylan Wheeler and Marselio Mendez, and it was Johnnies getting to 10-0 by responding when they had to.

Syverson is a 6-foot slinger (looks taller in uniform) who spent two years as an unplayed walk-on at Colorado State, arrived here in 2021, broke a leg during his first season, seemed to have a QB clock that needed improvement, but has gotten better to the point that he’s an all-time Johnnies great at a position where they have had many.

It was more than numbers with him in 2024, although the numbers are fantastic:

He holds the MIAC record in conference games for 300-yard passing games (16), career touchdowns (109), pass completions and attempts (692 for 996) — and Saturday was his sixth MIAC 400-yard passing game.

Throw in the nonconference games, he has 919 completions and 139 touchdowns.

There could not have been many TD throws better than in the middle of the third quarter, after Bethel had cut the lead to 20-16. Syverson had just been sacked and St. John’s was second-and-14 at Bethel’s 38.

The quarterback was moving right and there were Royals in hot pursuit. The 5-8 Mendez was cutting through the end zone. Syverson gave the ball a fling and it landed in the speeding Mendez’s mitts as if thrown by vintage Tom Brady.

OK, at least vintage Max Brosmer.

Mendez, a Cretin-Derham Hall mighty mite, spent two seasons playing junior college in Wahpeton, N.D. And now he has been a starter for two seasons with Syverson, He caught two TDs and his partner Wheeler had three on Saturday.

“One of my best points as a receiver is making a quick double cut to get open, and Aaron is great at seeing that,” Mendez said. “Find a little pocket in the defense and you’ll get the ball.”

Over the past six games, Mendez has caught 39 passes for 748 yards and nine touchdowns.

“Five-eight and you can’t weigh 165” was a postgame comment to him.

Mendez smiled and said: “Kind of small but quick.”

As the Johnnies were enjoying an official MIAC championship, Bethel was left to lament misfortunes. The two great senior receivers, Joey Kidder and Micah Niewald, combined for 25 catches, 211 yards and three touchdowns, but Bethel was left to lament three lousy happenings:

First, Devin Williams, outstanding senior corner, was ejected on a questionable targeting call in the first quarter. That gave Syverson one fewer obstacle in finding a receiver while avoiding a substantial rush.

Second and third, the Royals cost themselves two possessions by muffing both a kickoff and a punt.

As it stands, Bethel is 8-2 (both losses to St. John’s) and should get an at-large berth in the D-III playoffs with a first-round game. St. John’s should be a No. 1 seed, with a bye and then a few home games if it can keep winning.

It’s unlikely Bethel and St. John’s would meet a third time, but if it were to happen, the Johnnies can forget the video from September and concentrate on the real Royals who showed up Saturday.