Box Score
LEBANON, Tenn.- The Belhaven football team went toe to toe into overtime with Cumberland University (TN) on Saturday afternoon, but came up short 36-30 in the Mid-South Conference West Division opener for both teams. The Blazers fought back from a 10 point second half deficit to tie the game with 21 seconds left in regulation to force the extra frame. Unfortunately, Belhaven wasn't able to come up with a matching touchdown in overtime to prolong or win the game.
 
Belhaven (0-3, 0-1 MSC) jumped in front with an early field goal from senior kicker James Bryan. The Blazers marched 51 yards on nine plays on the opening possession of the game to set up the three pointer. Sophomore quarterback Raymond Cotton and senior wide out Kylan Pollard connected on a 35 yard pass completion to setup the score.
 
Cumberland (2-1, 1-0 MSC) pulled even at 3-3 late in the first quarter on a Jared White 24 yard field goal attempt. The Bulldogs were pinned back on their five yard line and drove the ball to the Belhaven two before the drive stalled when senior defensive back Craid McDonald and junior Len Armstrong stopped Lemeco Miller short of the end zone.
 
Belhaven regained the edge with 9:46 left in the first half as Cotton dialed up a touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Frederick Boggs to make it 10-3. Cotton also completed a 20 yard pass to Pollard and Cumberland committed a costly pass interference penalty to aid the march.
 
Belhaven's defense forced a punt and got the ball back into the hands of the offense that in turn moved the ball to the Bulldog 26 yard line. In what would be a key play in the game, linebacker Adam Wiss stripped the football from Justin Gaines and Allante McLemore picked it up and ran 76 yards for the touchdown. That play created a potential 14 point swing had the Blazers kept the ball and been able to score a touchdown.
 
Despite the miscue, Belhaven found a way to take the lead going into the half as the offense picked itself up and moved the ball into field goal range for Bryan. Bryan delivered a 37 yarder with three seconds on the clock to make it a 13-10 game after senior Isiah Wiley gave the Blazers great field position with a 40 yard kickoff return.
 
Cumberland burst out the gate in the second half and put 13 unanswered points on the board en route to a two score lead. The Bulldogs took the opening drive of the third quarter to the Belhaven 21 yard line setting the stage for a 38 yard field goal by White.
 
On the ensuing kickoff, Wiley fumbled and the Bulldogs recovered at the Belhaven 30 yard line. On third and eight, from the 18, quarterback Reed Gurchiek hit tight end BJ Stewart over the middle for the touchdown with 9:13 to play in the third. At the 5:54 mark, White drilled a 36 yard field goal that gave the Bulldogs a 23-13 lead.
 
Belhaven began the comeback on the very next drive when Bryan answered White's 36 yard field goal with a 51 yarder that brought the Blazers back to within one score at 23-16. Bryan then made a potential touchdown saving tackle when he stopped Blake DeBoard on kickoff return. That play led to a fumble by Miller two plays later that gave the ball back to the Blazers at their 46.
 
In 11 plays that included a couple of big runs by Cotton and running back Kadero Edley, the Blazers were even with the Bulldogs again when Edley crossed the plain of the goal line for a touchdown to tie the game at 23-23.
 
With 11:56 to go in regulation, Cumberland's offense responded with an 11 play 82 yard drive to recapture the lead. Gurchiek found Stewart in the back of the end zone on a four yard pass for the score. Stewart used his height advantage to pull the ball away from the Blazer defenders and pick up the six points.
 
In a game characterized by multiple comebacks, the Belhaven offense had an answer and engineered an 82 yard drive and scored with 21 seconds to spare on a two yard third down plunge by Cotton. On the first play of the series, Cotton found junior wide receiver Deuce Coon for 13 yards and then a 15 yard roughing the passer penalty was tacked on at the end of the play. The other key completion was a rollout pass by Cotton that was hauled in by senior wide out Bobby Thigpen. It set the Blazers up at the Cumberland 27 yard line.
 
Cumberland got the ball first in overtime and Gurciek covered 17 yards of the 25 play drive himself. His final carry resulted in a four yard touchdown that ended up being the difference in the game. A failed extra point left the door open for Belhaven to win the game with a TD and point after. The Blazers picked up one first down, but a loss of five yards by Edley on first and 10 and a sack of Cotton stalled the offense. Passes to the end zone on third and fourth down fell incomplete to end the game.
 
“We played with a lot of passion today and we fought from start to finish,” said Belhaven Head Coach Joe Thrasher. “The offense had a solid day running the ball and our defense played well, but we let a few plays get away from us. That's kind of been the story of the first three games of the season; a few plays here or there and things could be looking a lot different.”
 
Cotton and Edley anchored the Belhaven offense on the ground and through the air. Edley churned out a season high 137 yards and a touchdown followed by Cotton who ran for 65 yards and a TD on14 carries. Cotton completed 14 passes for 163 yards and a touchdown. Pollard made four catches for 62 yards. As a team, the Blazers racked up 410 total yards with 247 coming on the ground.
 
McDonald had 11 tackles, a half sack and one tackle for a loss to lead the Blazer defense. Junior linebacker Darius Wren tallied 10 tackles followed by senior defensive back Dewayne Whitten had seven stops, a forced fumble, and a pass breakup. Bryan had a great day on special teams with three field goals
 
Gurchiek had an MVP type game for Cumberland with 149 rushing yards and 149 yards through the air. Gurchiek ran for one touchdown and passed for two others. His favorite target was Stewart who caught four passes for 86 yards and a pair of TD's. The Bulldogs had 358 yards of offense and were 5 for 5 in the red zone with three touchdowns.
 
Grant Jones and McLemore had 10 tackles each spearheading the defense. McLemore also had the fumble return for a touchdown in the first half.
 
Belhaven will be back in action next Saturday at home against Campbellsville starting at 1:30 PM.