By JIM STEELE
pressbox1.com

McKENZIE - Eleven times in Wildcat football history, running back Adrain Smith has rushed for 100 yards and had a teammate join him. Ten of those times it has been Terrance Bell. Both are Bethel College record-setting rushers.

For visiting Cumberland Saturday night at Wildcat Stadium, the Bulldogs stood to reason that to stop fourth-ranked Bethel, you stop the ground attack. A funny thing happened on the way to the post-game homecoming dance: Bethel lit up Cumberland for 300 yards through the air. Wildcat quarterback Ronnie Jankovich had a breakout night. He was 17-22 with a pair of TDs and no interceptions for 226 yards. Running back Ricky Curry got into the act, heaving a 29-yard halfback pass to Julian Tyler for the score.

It was somewhat of a night off for the running game. Yes, the Cats rushed 23 times for 203 yards and played well. Smith carried 10 times for 86 yards to go with three touchdowns and Bell had 10 totes for 63 yards and a score. Make no mistake, the ground game folks worked hard, but the craters in the Bulldogs' game plan were a result of aerial bombardment.

"We did a nice job," said Bethel coach Dino Kaklis with a grin that conveyed both confidence and relief. "We had good balance tonight; Ronnie threw good balls, our guys made good catches and the guys up front did a good job."

Cumberland did its best to help the Wildcats out. It fumbled four times, losing three and all three leading directly to Bethel scores: one field goal and two TDs. The Wildcats celebrated a homecoming dance at the expense of Cumberland, but they didn't get off to a bristling start. Bethel lost a fumble on its first possession. But once the juggernaut started, it was hard to stop.

With 8:14 to play in the first, the Cats scored on a 6-yard run by Smith, capping a four-play, 68-yard drive. Matt Wininger added the first of his six conversion kicks and Bethel led 7-0. Wininger booted a 43-yard field goal almost five minutes later, a result of a fumble, and BC led 10-0 after one.

Bell rang for a 6-yard score, ending a seven-play, 71-yard drive for a 17-0 lead. Rashad Daniels recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff and Bethel worked on a short field. On the first play, Ricky Currie sprinted to the left on what looked like a reverse. He set his feet and chunked it into the waiting arms of Tyler for a 29-yard hookup. BC led 24-0 in almost an eyeblink.

Bethel's Justin Woodard returend the second-half kickoff 31 yards to the BC 47 started the next Wildcat drive. Four plays and 53 yards later, Smith darted into the end zone from the 4. The play was set up by a 45-yard completion from Jankovich to Daniels. Bethel led 31-0. After a three-and-out, Cumberland punted to BC, starting yet another scoring march. Jankovich hit Jovaris Carter for a 17-yard scoring toss and the Cats led 38-0.

Cumberland got on the board on the next series. Dexter Elston culminated a 10-play, 67-yard drive with his 10-yard run. The conversion kick was blocked by Chancy DePriest. CU trailed 38-6.

Bethel recovered with a 21-yard scoring pass from Jankovich to Buck Reed. For the first time in Wildcat Stadium history, the conversion kick was blocked and returned for two points. Melvin Armstrong rejected the kick, then gathered it and rocketed 90 yards the other way for two points. Bethel led 44-8. Cumberland's Elston tacked on a 9-yard TD and the Bulldogs trailed 44-15.

Bethel answered with a 41-yard kickoff return to the Cumberland 44 by Woodard. Smith raced the rest of the way on the first play for the score and the Wildcats were up 51-15.

"We did a pretty good job running the ball tonight," Kaklis said. "We broke a couple loose and spread it around. Obviously, when you have the kind of talent we have, you try to get it in as many hands a possible."

With 11:52 to play in the game, Wininger drilled a 40-yard field goal and Bethel had iced a 54-15 victory.

While the Wildcats rang up 503 total yards, Kaklis had praise for the defense and its coordinator.

"Coach (Chris) Elliott did a good job with the kids and our defense is getting better," he said. "With the young guys we have, we had to grow and mature. It's evident how they are playing now."

Bethel improves to 7-1, 3-0 in league play, but will have a short week this week when it travels to Rome, Ga. for a pivotal Mid South Conference encounter with Shorter Thursday night.