Eli Mars returned an interception 14 yards for a touchdown with 1:10 left, sealing Bethany's 17-7 win at Cache on Friday, Oct. 2.

The victory moved the Bronchos to 3-3 overall and 2-0 in Class 4A-1 district play. Bethany's defense forced four turnovers against a Cache offense that rushed for 156 yards but never scored on the ground. Cache fell to 4-2 and 1-1 in district, West Metro Sports reported.

Senior kicker Cody Martin opened the scoring with a 42-yard field goal in the first quarter. Martin also booted a 48-yard game-winner against Woodward on Sept. 25. That 3-0 lead held deep into the fourth.

Cache junior Kenyon Sweat broke a 34-yard run late in the first quarter, but the Bulldogs' drive stalled at the Bethany 22. Sophomore kicker Jordy Goodman missed the field goal attempt.

The Bulldogs threatened again before halftime after sophomore Jacoby Alonzo intercepted an underthrown Brody McLaren pass into the wind. A penalty wiped out most of Alonzo's return yardage, and junior Mattix Wright sacked the Cache quarterback as time expired in the half.

Martin's 34-yard field goal try in the third quarter was blocked by Cache senior Kanon McCracken. The game stayed 3-0.

Then Sweat fumbled twice. The first came late in the third quarter. The second, early in the fourth, was recovered by Bethany junior Isaiah White.

Working with a short field, McLaren scored on a 4-yard run with 7:23 left, carrying two defenders into the end zone. The senior finished with 73 rushing yards on 20 carries and completed 9 of 16 passes for 94 yards.

Cache needed just over a minute to respond. A horse-collar penalty moved the Bulldogs to midfield, and Alonzo hauled in a 41-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Kason Puletasi with 6:02 remaining to cut the deficit to 10-7.

Bethany's offense stalled on its next possessions. After a Bronchos punt, Cache fumbled again, and Mars intercepted the next pass and returned it 14 yards for the pick-six that made it 17-7.

"They've just gotten better the last few weeks, becoming bonus players in the run game and getting down and making plays," coach Jon Arthur said of his safeties, singling out Mars, junior Colin Knudsen and sophomore Noah Mars.

The Bronchos have a bye week before a Thursday, Oct. 15, trip to unbeaten Weatherford (6-0, 2-0) at 7 p.m. The game falls on a Thursday because of Fall Break. Weatherford has not allowed a double-digit point total since a 40-17 win over 5A Lawton MacArthur in its opener and is averaging 41 points per game. After that, Bethany travels to Clinton on Friday, Oct. 23.