Box Score JACKSON, Miss. -- Belhaven (Miss.) University scored 35 unanswered points en route to a 49-21 win over the Lindsey Wilson College football team today at H. T. Newell Field.
Lindsey Wilson (1-2) fell victim to a number of big plays from the host -- including touchdown plays of 77, 58 and 42 yards and an 83-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Belhaven finished the game with 546 yards of total offense.
While the Belhaven offense was clicking on all cylinders, Lindsey Wilson struggled with consistency and finished the day with 277 yards of total offense.
The Blazers (3-1) struck first with a 77-yard touchdown strike from sophomore Alex Williams to senior wide receiver Cordario Calvin five minutes into the game to take a 7-0 lead. Calvin made the catch of the day on the play with a one-handed grab in stride for the first of three scores. He finished with seven catches and 200 yards receiving.
The Blue Raiders answered on the ensuing drive with a four-play, 53-yard drive to tie the game at 7-7 with 8:17 left in the opening quarter. Freshman Greg Young connected on a 32-yard touchdown pass to freshman Matt Powers for the score. Powers led the Blue Raiders with six catches for 104 yards and two touchdowns.
Belhaven scored the first of five straight touchdowns 17 seconds later on Michael Pettus' 83-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to give the Blazers a 14-7 lead. Belhaven led at the end of the first quarter 14-7.
Following a competitive opening quarter, Belhaven dominated play in the second stanza.
The disastrous quarter began harmlessly enough with the two teams exchanging scoreless drives. Midway through the quarter, Lindsey Wilson was forced to punt on what should have been third down after the officials apparently lost track of the downs.
Following the punt, Williams and Calvin hooked up on the first play of the drive on a 58-yard touchdown strike to give the Blazers a 21-7 lead. On its next possession, Belhaven drove 65 yards on six plays to take and three touchdown lead.
Belhaven closed the dominating quarter with a touchdown pass with two seconds remaining as Williams hit senior receiver Kevin Dizer in the back of the endzone for a 35-7 halftime lead.
Back-to-back Lindsey Wilson touchdowns in the second half -- Martin Dietrich recovered a fumble and scampered in for a touchdown and a Powers' touchdown catch from Ricky Bowling -- cut the Belhaven lead to 42-21.
But a Belhaven touchdown on the following drive stifled any hopes of a Lindsey Wilson comeback.
Williams finished the game completing 20-of-35 passes for 377 yards and five touchdown passes. Bowling led the Blue Raiders with 9-of-17 for 108 yards and one touchdown.
Lindsey Wilson returns to action at 12:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, Sept. 25, as the Blue Raiders travel to Campbellsville (Ky.) University.