BETHANY, Okla. - The Crimson Storm returned to the SNU Football Stadium for the first time this season to host the visiting Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys. Arkansas Tech spoiled the home opener for Southern Nazarene defeating the Storm, 26-6.

The Wonder Boys (2-0, 2-0 GAC) led the way offensively with 358 yards of total offense, including three touchdowns. The Crimson Storm offense struggled to find the endzone and tallied just 144 yards of total offense.

The Southern Nazarene offense started off the game with a 10-yard pass from Bryson Evans to give the Storm some momentum and a first down. The Wonder Boys halted the SNU momentum at the SNU42.

The Crimson Storm defense turned it up a notch after Emmanuel Obinna forced a 15-yard loss for the Wonder Boys, forcing them to punt.

Defense continued to be the name of the game for both squads through the first quarter as the scoreboard read 0-0 at the end of the first 15 minutes.

ATU looked to get on the board in the second quarter and did just that. Arkansas Tech received the ball on the SNU14 after a 30-yard punt from Adam Atwell. The Crimson Storm defense kept the pressure on the Wonder Boys forcing them to kick a 21-yard field goal to get on the board first leading 3-0.

The Storm responded quickly as Rasheed Noel found Jarrell Farr for a 37-yard pass and a first down. ATU stopped the Storm there as they collected a sack forcing the Storm to settle for a field goal. 

Kameron Van Prooyen sent a 48-yard field goal through the uprights to tie the score 3-3 with 8:51 left on the clock in the first half. This tied the record for the longest field goal in program history.

The Storm offense utilized their next drive getting all the way down to the ATU9 before the Wonder Boys denied an SNU run forcing the Storm to kick another field goal. Van Prooyen hit his second field of the night, this time from 25 yards to put the Storm ahead 6-3.

Arkansas Tech responded quickly with a 72-yard touchdown to go ahead 10-3 with just under two minutes left on the clock. That would be all the offense in the first half as the clock wound down.

Tech got on the board first in the second half after a 20-yard pass led the Wonder Boys to the endzone to lead 17-6 after the extra point.

The Storm looked to get some offensive momentum to open the fourth quarter, but the Wonder Boys denied their chances. ATU was able to add to their lead with a 73-yard drive that resulted in another touchdown, stretching their lead to 23-6.

It was not until the final minutes of the game that the Wonder Boys secured their victory with a 20-yard field goal to leave Bethany with the 26-6 win.

Next Up

The Storm will host the Northwestern Oklahoma State Rangers on September 21 at 3:00 pm in Bethany. Last season in Alva, the Crimson Storm came away with a 42-29 victory.