Box Score
JACKSON, Miss,- The Belhaven football team won for the fourth straight week defeating the University of Pikeville Saturday afternoon in a Mid-South Conference cross divisional game at H.T. Newell Field. The Blazers now have their sights set on Bethel University (TN) next week for a shot at the Mid-South Conference West Division title and possible berth in the NAIA playoffs. Saturday's win also secures the fourth winning season in school history.

“I'm proud of how our team secured a winning season today,” said Belhaven Head Coach Joe Thrasher who has led the team to two of those winning campaigns. “We did not play our best but found a way to win. Isiah Wiley was outstanding returning punts and kickoffs, Alex Williams threw the ball well and Calvin Lewis played well on defense for us.”

Belhaven (6-4, 4-1 MSC) opened the game with 24 unanswered points and went to work immediately on the first drive of the game. Senior defensive back Isiah Wiley ripped off the first of two big returns on the afternoon, taking the opening kickoff 38 yards from his own end zone. With Pikeville stacking the box with eight men against the 12th ranked rushing offensive in the country, the Blazers went to the air to try and loosen up the defense and it worked to perfection. Senior quarterback Alex Williams completed four passes of 12 yards or more leading the team on an eight play 60 yard drive for the game's first touchdown. A Williams pass to junior wide receiver Deuce Coon from three yards away gave the Blazers a 7-0 edge four minutes into the contest.

The Belhaven defense stunned Pikeville's offense on its opening possession of the first half forcing a punt after the Bears went three and out. Belhaven's special teams rose to the occasion and added the next touchdown of the afternoon as Wiley returned a Grayson Quick punt 68 yards for a score extending the lead to 14-0. Wiley came into the game ranked 2nd in the NAIA in yards per return and the touchdown was the second this season.

Midway through the second quarter junior Carl Blundell, who is the goalie on the soccer team, drilled his first field goal of the season filling in for James Bryan who is injured. Blundell hit the field goal from 33 yards out to make it a 17-0 game with 7:45 to go in the quarter. The three pointer capped a 17 play 61 yard drive that took 7:33 off the clock.

Belhaven struck for the final time in the game with 8:51 to go in the third quarter when Kylan Pollard made an acrobatic 18 yard catch, getting his foot down in bounds just across the plain of the goal line. The play capped the longest drive of the afternoon, which ended up covering 80 yards on seven plays. Instead of using the pass, the Blazers went to their bread and butter with the rushing attack to move the ball down the field. Junior running back Kadero Edley had three runs for 11 yards or more and Williams had a 10 yard scramble to keep the chains moving. The final two plays were a pass to Coon and the touchdown to Pollard.

The Bears responded to the Pollard TD with their first score of the game, a two yard touchdown run by Zeke White with 5:56 to go in the third. Pikeville's drive covered 50 yards on eight plays and was setup by a 33 yard kickoff return by Jeremy Hill. Pikeville pulled within two scores late in the contest on another three yard touchdown run by White with 2:23 left. However, it was too little too late for the Bears who failed to recover the ensuing onside kick which may have kept their hopes alive.

Belhaven's offense was led by Williams who completed 18 passes for 167 yards and two touchdowns. The two TD strikes give Williams 10 on the season. Coon led the receivers hauling in six catches for 58 yards and one touchdown followed by Pollard who racked up 53 yards and one touchdown catch, increasing his total to a team high seven. Kadero Edley was Belhaven's leading rusher, carrying the ball 14 times for 86 yards. The Blazers totaled 343 yards and had a very balanced attack with 176 rushing yards and 167 yards through the air.

Belhaven's defense stood tall again this week holding Pikeville to 230 yards of offense. The Blazers limited the Bears to 85 yards on the ground and 145 yards passing. Defensively, Belhaven had seven players register seven tackles each with Dewayne Whitten, Len Armstrong, and Calvin Lewis leading the way. Craig McDonald had six tackles and is only four stops away from breaking the school record. McDonald has 289 career tackles with 74 made this season. Wiley recorded two tackles and an interception that halted a potential scoring drive for Pikeville late in the second half.

White carried the ball 16 times for 44 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Bears. Quarterback Trevor Hoskins completed 12 passes for 104 yards and was intercepted once. Wide receiver Jeremy Hill made three catches for 57 yards in the game. J.K. Hall made six solo tackles to guide the Bears defense.

Belhaven will wrap up the regular season next Saturday as the team hosts Bethel University (TN) at H.T. Newell Field in what will be the MSC West Division Championship game. A win against Bethel would give Belhaven its first ever MSC title and keep hopes alive for an NAIA Playoff berth, but a win next week won't be easy said Thrasher. “Bethel will be a great opponent and we look forward to that challenge this upcoming week. We'll have to be at our best in order to win a game.”

Kickoff is slated for 6:00 PM.