HESSTON, Kan. — Hesston College flag football put together a dominant performance on both sides of the ball Tuesday afternoon, defeating Bethel (Kan.) 68-0 on Senior Day for their final home game of the season.
The Larks wasted no time getting on the scoreboard. After an early setback that pinned Hesston deep in its own territory, quarterback Alexis Pabon connected with Lauren Payne for a 78-yard touchdown pass to give the Larks an early lead. Hesston’s defense forced a turnover on Bethel’s next possession, and the Larks quickly capitalized with another scoring drive, finishing with a touchdown run by Pabon. Before the end of the first quarter, Pabon added another touchdown pass to push the lead to 21-0.
In the second quarter, Hesston continued to take advantage of strong field position created by the defense and special teams. Pabon found Akiva Brown for a 33-yard touchdown early in the quarter to extend the lead. The Larks’ defense continued to pressure Bethel, forcing turnovers and limiting offensive opportunities to maintain control heading into halftime.
Hesston kept the momentum going in the third quarter. Pabon scored on a 17-yard touchdown run midway through the quarter, and shortly after, Emma Pfannenstiel added a rushing touchdown to extend the lead. The Larks added another touchdown late in the quarter to continue the offensive surge.
In the fourth quarter, Hesston closed the game with three more touchdowns, including multiple short-yardage scores following defensive stops and strong field position. The Larks’ defense finished the shutout by consistently forcing turnovers and preventing Bethel from establishing any offensive rhythm.
Pabon led the offense with 341 passing yards and seven touchdown passes while adding two rushing touchdowns. Brown recorded two touchdown receptions and 123 receiving yards, while Payne added a touchdown reception and 119 receiving yards. Destiny Ortiz and Liliana Espinoza also contributed receiving touchdowns, and Pfannenstiel added a rushing score.
Defensively, Hesston recorded four sacks and held Bethel to just 33 yards of total offense in the shutout victory. The Larks finished with 391 yards of total offense and 10 total touchdowns in the win.
Hesston will be back in action on Wednesday (Apr. 1) as they continue KCAC play at Ottawa University at 6 p.m.
