GREENSBORO, N.C. - Belhaven fell behind by 10 points in the first quarter Saturday. The Blazers answered with 19 straight and did not allow Greensboro to score again, earning a 19-10 win at Pride Field.
The victory moved Belhaven to 3-3 overall and 2-1 in USA South play while Greensboro fell to 2-4 and 1-2.
Freshman quarterback
Matthew Dial threw two second-quarter touchdown passes to turn the game around. His 30-yard strike to
Nehemiah Philip cut the deficit to 10-6, and a 14-yard pass to
Wyatt Locastro put Belhaven ahead 12-10 with 2:38 left before halftime.
The lead was still two points late in the third quarter when a promising Belhaven drive ended with an interception in the end zone. One play later,
Tre Chaffier intercepted Greensboro quarterback Cameron Turner and returned the ball eight yards to the Pride 6.
Julien Tabor scored from three yards out two plays later, giving the Blazers a 19-10 advantage.
Greensboro had chances to close the gap in the fourth quarter, but Belhaven turned it away twice deep in Blazers territory. The first drive ended on downs at the Belhaven 10. On the next, Greensboro reached the 4 before a tackle for loss, a sack and another stop forced fourth-and-goal.
Xander Roberts recovered a fumble on that play, and Belhaven took over with three minutes remaining.
Tabor led the offense with 107 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries. Dial completed 13 of 17 passes for 146 yards and two scores, while Philip caught five passes for 62 yards. The Blazers finished with 282 yards of offense, including 136 on the ground.
Belhaven's defense made the difference despite Greensboro holding a 300-282 edge in total yards. The Blazers recorded five sacks and 10 tackles for loss, held the Pride to 4-of-15 on third down and kept them out of the end zone on all three red-zone trips.
Tariot Snowden and
Brayden Bullock finished with 10 tackles apiece.
Jimmy Byrd added seven tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.
How It Happened
First Quarter: A blocked Belhaven punt gave Greensboro the ball at the Blazers' 45, and Jacob Cook finished the ensuing drive with a 33-yard field goal. Turner later broke free for a 36-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-five, putting the Pride ahead 10-0 with 26 seconds left in the quarter.
Second Quarter: Belhaven needed just four plays to cover 64 yards on its first scoring drive. Tabor broke a 24-yard run, and Dial found Philip for a 30-yard touchdown. The extra point was blocked. Later, a short Greensboro punt and a 19-yard return by
Jayden Evans set the Blazers up at the Pride 45. Dial converted two third downs through the air before finding Locastro for the go-ahead touchdown. Belhaven's two-point try failed, leaving the score 12-10 at halftime.
Third Quarter: The Blazers drove 68 yards to the Greensboro 12, converting a fourth down along the way, but Allen Redford intercepted Dial in the end zone. Chaffier answered immediately with his interception, and Tabor's three-yard touchdown run extended the lead to 19-10.
Fourth Quarter: Greensboro advanced to the Belhaven 10 on its first drive of the quarter, but Snowden and Bullock combined to drop a runner for a five-yard loss on third down. Turner gained only five yards on fourth-and-10. The Pride later reached the Belhaven 4 before the Blazers' second red-zone stand ended with Roberts' fumble recovery. Facing fourth-and-one on the final possession, Dial ran for four yards to help Belhaven run out the clock.
Up Next
Belhaven returns home to face Southern Virginia next Saturday at noon at Belhaven Bowl Stadium for Homecoming Weekend.
