FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- Dylan DeGroot threw for 295 yards and three touchdowns and added a rushing touchdown to lead Methodist to a 47-12 win over LaGrange on Saturday afternoon at Monarch Stadium.
 
The Monarchs close out the season with a 4-6 record and a 2-5 mark in the USA South, while LaGrange finishes up 2-7 and 2-4 in league play.
 
DeGroot finished 18-of-25 passing and set a new personal best with the three scoring strikes. All three touchdown passes went to Anthony Radke playing in his final game. He finished with 178 yards receiving on eight receptions and for his career, ranks second all-time at MU in receptions (140) and touchdown receptions (22), and third in receiving yards (2,061).
 
Methodist opened up a 7-0 lead just over five minutes into the game courtesy of senior right tackle David Cooper. On first-and-goal from the seven, DeGroot carried for six yards before he was stood up at the goal line by Brandon Penn, who ripped the ball free. Cooper was able to recover in the end zone for the first touchdown of his career. Brandon Torres converted the PAT for a 7-0 lead. The Monarchs got the ball right back as Cody Howes fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Torres converted a 33-yard field goal five plays later for a 10-0 lead.
 
Late in the first quarter, a 41-yard punt return by Brandon Johnson gave MU possession at the LaGrange 25 and DeGroot scored two plays later on an eight-yard scamper and Torres missed the PAT for a 16-0 lead at the 3:52 mark.
 
LaGrange closed out the first period scoring on Connor Blair's 19-yard pass to T.J. Anderson to make it 16-6. Senior Mike Jones blocked the PAT.
 
The Panthers closed to within 16-12 on their first possession of the second quarter, grinding out a 12-play, 86-yard drive capped by Blair's seven-yard scoring pass to Lavelle Meeks. The two-point conversion attempt was no good.
 
E'Mond Brown scored on a one-yard rush with 1:35 left in the half to make it 23-12 at halftime.
 
Radke scored twice in the third quarter, hauling in passes of 14 and 55 yards, and Jordan Rieling booted a 21-yard field goal to push the Monarchs' lead to 40-12 entering the fourth quarter. Radke then completed the day's scoring with another 14-yard touchdown catch and Rieling's point after made it 47-12.
 
The 47 points scored by Methodist marked a season high, and the 12 points allowed were the second-fewest given up, surpassed only by the week-one shutout of the Apprentice School.
 
Emontie Dears led the MU ground attack with 46 yards on 20 carries, and Reshad Washington had 65 yards receiving on four catches and finished with 103 all-purpose yards. Brandon Johnson averaged 26.5 yards on four punt returns.
 
Defensively, Bryan Bing led the Monarchs with nine tackles, including a sack, and finishes his career with 316 tackles - third most at Methodist. Mark Stanford had seven tackles, including 0.5 for loss, while Will England added six tackles with 1.5 sacks. Carlos McCracken and Lavonte Mouzzon each had an interception.
 
For LaGrange, Blair finished 24-of-39 passing for 223 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. He was also sacked four times. MU held the Panthers to 64 yards rushing, led by Lord Smith's 25 yards on five carries, and Meek had six receptions for 49 yards. Josh Hardrick added 65 yards on five receptions.
 
Rodney Simon led the Panther defense with seven tackles, 1.5 going for loss. Demtrius Rodgers had six tackles, and Brandon Penn had five stops with a forced fumble.