MIKE MACKE
WZBD.com
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On Homecoming night, the Bellmont Braves had their best offensive output of the season but fell short to New Haven 32 – 14. The top team in the conference scored four times on plays longer than twenty yards and on a twelve-yard pass for the fifth score as the Braves were unable to defend the size and speed of the Bulldogs. However, Bellmont showed some good progress on the offensive side of the ball as they accumulated 16 first downs and 215 yards utilizing an effective running game. The kicking game got a boost also with the addition of Jack Riehm who connected on both extra points.
Bellmont won the toss and elected to receive to open the game. A 15-yd chop block penalty thwarted the drive and the Braves had to punt. James Hardy blocked the Job Hoffman punt and the Bulldogs took over at the Bellmont 32. Donovan Williams connected with Ajani Washington on the first play from scrimmage and New Haven had the early lead.
The Braves picked up a first down, but another penalty set them back and they punted on their second possession. Hardy again blocked it and New Haven had good field position. It took three plays this time, but Williams again hit Washington for the T.D., this time from twelve yards out. The PAT was blocked and the visitors led 13 – 0.
Bellmont then started on their 30-yard line and put together a 70-yard drive which featured good hard running by Aiden Miller, Dylan Velez and Christian Hatch. The drive ate up seven minutes of clock and with 9:33 left in the second period, Miller found paydirt from one yard out for the first Bellmont score of the night. Riehm hit the PAT and it was a 13 – 7 game.
The Bulldogs went three and out on their next possession (their only non-scoring drive of the first three periods) and Bellmont took over at the 48-yard line. A Will Franze pass to Job Hoffman on third and eleven overcame a holding penalty and kept the drive alive as the Braves drove into the red zone. A fourth down attempt at the 19-yd line came up short and New Haven took over. The Bulldogs then drove the length of the field and a third connection from Williams to Washington, this time from 30 yds out, put six more points on the board. The Domingo Flores PAT was good and New Haven took a 20 – 7 lead into the locker room.
The Braves kicked off to start the second half and stripped the ball away from the N.H. return man to take over at their own 36-yard line. The Bulldogs returned the favor on the very next play stripping the ball away from Hatch to get it right back at the 39. Three plays later, Williams did the honors himself running it in from 28 yards out for the touchdown. Bellmont stopped the two-point conversion, and the score was 26 – 7.
The Braves kicked off to start the second half and stripped the ball away from the N.H. return man to take over at their own 36-yard line. The Bulldogs returned the favor on the very next play stripping the ball away from Hatch to get it right back at the 39. Three plays later, Williams did the honors himself running it in from 28 yards out for the touchdown. Bellmont stopped the two-point conversion, and the score was 26 – 7.
Bellmont’s next drive stalled in New Haven territory and the Braves attempted a field goal. The kick just missed and the Bulldogs took over at their twenty yard line. They wasted little time and with 11:16 left in the game, Tre Bates scored on a 28-yard run. The PAT failed again and it was 32 – 7.
The Braves had one more good drive in them. A nifty run on a reverse by Hatch gained twenty yards down the sidelines. A late-hit penalty added 15 yards and Bellmont had it at the N.H. 16. A few plays later, Hatch took it in from two yards out for the touchdown. Riehm again hit the PAT and the Braves had fourteen points for the first time this season. The last seven and a half minutes featured more penalties than anything else and the game ended 32 – 14.
For the game, Bellmont amasses 193 yards on the ground. Miller led with 92 yards on 23 carries and one TD. Velez ran it 15 times for 86 yards. Hatch had the touchdown and netted just fifteen yards, but two huge tackles for loss skewed his totals. Franze was three of eight for twenty-two yards. The Braves are home again this next Friday night. It will be Senior night as the Dekalb Barons come to town.
Q1 7:42 N. Haven Williams 32 yd pass to Washington PAT Flores 7 – 0 N.H.
Q1 4:38 N. Haven Williams 12 yd pass to Washington PAT blocked 13 – 0 N.H.
Q2 9:33 Bellmont Miller 1 yd run PAT Riehm 13 – 7 N.H.
Q2 1:27 N. Haven Williams 30 yd pass to Washington PAT Flores 20 – 7 N.H.
Q3 10:24 N. Haven Williams 23 yd run 2 pt failed 26 – 7 N.H.
Q4 11:16 N. Haven Bates 28 yd run PAT failed 32 – 7 N.H.
Q4 7:43 Bellmont Hatch 2 yd run PAT Riehm 32 – 14 N.H.