JACKSON, Miss. – The Belhaven Blazers Football team dropped its season opener Thursday night, falling to Millsaps College 52-23 in the sixth edition of the Riverside Rumble.
 
The rivalry matchup, which has been dormant since 2009, is now tied at 3-3, with the Blazers winning the first three matches before Millsaps has answered back with the last three victories.
 
The Blazers never led in the game, but it was a close contest heading into the halftime break, with Millsaps holding a slim 18-16 margin after 30 minutes.
 
Darien Thomas caught the first touchdown of the season for the Blazers, a 10-yard strike from Clayton Webb.
 
Following a 38-yard field goal by Alonso Acosta as the first quarter expired, Thomas and Webb had another touchdown connection, with the second coming via an 8-yard pass play late in the second half to cut the deficit to 18-16.
 
Thomas finished the game with four grabs and 26 yards to go along with the two scores.
 
A big issue for the Blazers in the game was turnovers, and it came back to haunt the Green and Gold as Millsaps turned Belhaven's four fumbles and one interception into 34 points.
 
Webb, who made his first-ever collegiate appearance, flirted with a pair of school records Thursday night, as he finished the game with 47 completions on 72 attempts and 525 yards through the air. The school records for a game were 54 completions, 75 attempts and 612 yards.
 
Deon Richardson led the Blazers in receptions with eight, totaling 50 yards on the night.
 
Marquis Hedge finished with the most yards on the night, catching five passes for 130 yards.
 
Shaquan Holmes had the other touchdown grab for the Blazers, a 24-yard catch and run in the third quarter.
 
Defensively, Stefon Hayles, Alvin Vaughn and Alonzo Peavy led the way for the Blazers. Hayles and Vaughn each contributed on 11 tackles in the game and Peavy had 10.  Hayles had two tackles for a loss in the game.
 
Maurice Stewart picked up his first interception as a Blazer in the contest and also contributed on five tackles.
 
Belhaven will have an extra two days rest and preparation heading into next Saturday's home opener against the defending National Champion Warhawks of Wisconsin-Whitewater. The game is set for a 1 p.m. kickoff at H.T. Newell Field.