DANE FUELLING
WZBD.com
WATERLOO – Facing their first NE8 game without running back Jason Lykins, the Bellmont Braves lost another running back in Corbynn Omlor midway through the game and a contest that was 7-7 after the first quarter spiraled quickly out of control as the DeKalb Barons beat the Braves 69-21 with a 38-point barrage in the second quarter.
The Braves had a decent performance offensively, but the defense simply could not stop Xavier Vice and the Barons, who scored on every possession they had in the game except for the drive that ended the first half.
Charlie Faurote and Corbynn Omlor found success in the opening drive, but an interception by Drake Hall ended the first Bellmont drive after a couple of first downs. Hall ran it back 40 yards and Vice struck first with a touchdown.
Bellmont then picked up five first downs and capped an 80-yard drive with a touchdown pass to Cole Barger in the final minute of the first quarter.
The rest of the half belonged to the Barons.
By the time Bellmont picked up another first down on their final drive of the half, they had punted three times and failed on two fourth-down conversions, all while the defense gave up 38 points on six DeKalb possessions.
Trailing 45-7, Faurote led the Braves on a quick scoring drive with two big plays to Cole Barger that kept the running clock from starting automatically in the third quarter.
With Omlor out with a leg injury, the Braves simply had nowhere else to go, with Jason Lykins home nursing a broken collarbone and Henry Faurote out with a sore ankle. That left Charlie Faurote with an empty backfield and a DeKalb defense with little to guess.
DeKalb scored on the first drive of the second half to bring in the running clock and the Braves fortunes turned with an interception on the first play of the next drive.
Dawson Cleverly followed with his second made field goal of the night on a drive led by the DeKalb reserves.
The final series for the Bellmont starters ended with a Mason White touchdown and the rest of the contest belonged to the reserves, with the Braves unable to take any more risks for injury with at least two games still to play in the season.
Jaxen Davies and Braxton Robinson scored fourth-quarter touchdowns for the DeKalb Bs to give the game its 69-21 final score.
Faurote finished the game 20 for 31 for 265 yards and three touchdowns. He also had his best game of the season on the run, picking up 27 yards on his first two attempts to tuck it and run.
The Braves finished with just 32 yards rushing.
Xavier Vice was 4 of 9 for 81 yards. Blake Smith had three of those receptions for 69 yards.
Where Vice killed the Braves was with his legs, running for 195 yards on 14 attempts. 186 of those yards came on his final eight carries, though.
Colton Brandon ran for 128 yards for the home team.
The Barons will go to Leo to settle who will finish third in the NE8, while the Braves will host unbeaten East Noble, with the Knights likely salivating the opportunity to take on a defense that has now given up 399 points in eight games.
SCORING SUMMARY
Quarter One
4:54 – D – Xavier Vice 1-yd run, Dawson Cleverly PAT good, 7-0
:56 – B – Cole Barger 9-yd catch from Charlie Faurote, Grayson Riehm PAT good, 7-7
Quarter Two
10:59 – D – Colton Brandon 19-yd run, Cleverly PAT good, 14-7
10:25 – D – Colton Brandon 34-yd run, Cleverly PAT good, 21-7
7:16 – D – Blake Smith 29-yd catch from Xavier Vice, Cleverly PAT good, 28-7
5:41 – D – Xavier Vice 36-yd run, Cleverly PAT good, 35-7
3:04 – D – Dawson Cleverly 39-yd Field Goal, 38-7
1:57 – D – Xavier Vice 54-yd run, Cleverly PAT good, 45-7
:33 – B – Cole Barger 24-yd catch from Charlie Faurote, Riehm PAT good, 45-14
Quarter Three
11:08 – D – Malachi Webb 12-yd catch from Xavier Vice, Cleverly PAT good, 52-14
5:01 – D – Dawson Cleverly 27-yd Field Goal, 55-14
2:01 – B – Mason White 8-yd catch from Charlie Faurote, Riehm PAT good, 55-21
Quarter Four
9:24 – B – Jaxon Davies 19-yd run, Cleverly PAT good, 62-21
1:38 – B – Braxton Robinson 13-yd run, Cleverly PAT good, 69-21
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