The Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes stand alone atop the Kansas Conference’s Gene Bissell Division.

Their 28-14 victory over Tabor on Saturday at JRI Stadium and the Graves Family Sports Complex gave them a 3-0 record in the division, one game ahead of the Bluejays with two games remaining in the regular season.

KWU plays Ottawa next Saturday at JRI Stadium and ends the regular season at Sterling in two weeks.

Despite winning in their two previous games concerns remained after second half letdowns in both. Saturday the Coyotes kept the proverbial pedal to the metal from start to finish and produced a complete performance.

“I think what we’re preaching to them is a big deal but also when you’re in a dogfight that kind of makes it easy,” KWU co-interim head coach Chris Snyder said. “It’s not a four-score lead already or something like that. When it’s a one-score game and the starters are going to stay in along with what we’ve been preaching to the kids and what they’ve been preaching to themselves it goes hand-in-hand.”

On a wet, windy, gloomy day the Coyotes did what they do best – run the football, to the tune of 280 yards on 37 attempts. Tailback Luke Armstrong, the reigning KCAC Offensive Player of the Week, rushed for 187 yards on 24 carries – 7.8 yards per carry – and included touchdown jaunts of 15 and 35 yards. Tailback Zarek Fewell added 78 yards on 22 carries and had a touchdown.

Wesleyan (5-4 overall) finished with 395 total yards on 73 plays while Tabor had 252 yards on 64 plays.

“We went through a lot in this game, and it was good to see the kids staying together,” Snyder said. “I guess you’d say it’s a proud dad moment.”

Following a Tabor fumble on the first possession of the game Fewell broke free for a 19-yard touchdown run that gave KWU a 7-0 lead with 10:27 left in the quarter.

After the Bluejays tied the game 7-7 with 9:34 left in the second quarter Armstrong quickly answered with his 15-yard scoring run. The extra point was blocked with 5:38 left in the half and KWU led 13-7 — the advantage they took into the locker room at halftime.

Ignoring off the second-half doldrums of the past the Coyotes scored on their first possession of the third quarter, Armstrong at the forefront again with his 35-yard touchdown dash. Richard Lara tossed a shuttle pass to Epoki Tafea for the two-point conversion and a 21-14 lead with 10:45 left in the third.

Tabor held KWU on downs at its own 20-yard line then drove 80 yards for a touchdown – Willie Green’s 26-yard pass to Devin Jones with 9:01 left in the game making it 21-14.

The Coyotes responded on their next possession going 65 yards on 15 plays, Lara a 13-yard touchdown pass to tight end Artaveon Shavers with 2:10 remaining that effectively sealed the deal.

Snyder was pleased with the offense’s work.

“Everybody knows we’re going to run,” he said. “Coach (James) Bauer (offensive coordinator) does a really good job of mixing it up. He has no ego, I don’t have an ego, nobody on the staff has an ego so if it takes 60 rushes to win or 50 throws we’re definitely running what is working.

“I give credit to coach (Tanner) Glisson (offensive line coach). He’s done a really good job in that situation the last few weeks. It starts up front and the O-line and D-line have done a great job the last few weeks.”

Lara and Byron McNair shared the quarterback duties once again. Lara was 6 of 10 passing for 81 yards and one touchdown while McNair was 4 of 7 for 34 yards. Neither had an interception. Armstrong was the top receiver with 41 yards on three catches while Darius Pearsall had two receptions for 40 yards.

Tabor managed just 37 yards rushing on 36 attempts (1.4 per carry). Green was 20 of 38 for 215 yards and was sacked four times. Linebackers Myles Elam and Daren Hawkins had a team-best eight tackles apiece in leading the KWU defense.

Next Saturday’s game against Ottawa is Senior Day and the final home contest of the season. Kickoff is 1 p.m. at JRI Stadium. The Braves (1-8) lost to Avila 26-13 Saturday in Ottawa.

“Honestly, all I really care about this week is it’s Senior Day for us and we have a lot of seniors,” Snyder said. “It’s really about them, I don’t care who we’re playing. I can’t say enough good things about the upperclassmen right now.”