Game Leaders
Team Stats
Passing Yards
Rushing Yards
Turnovers
Time of Poss.
JACKSON, Miss. - Belhaven opened up the 2023 campaign in convincing fashion, taking down Millsaps 47-7 at the Belhaven Bowl Stadium on Thursday night. The Blazers set the tone early and often to claim their third-straight victory in the Riverside Rumble series.
Belhaven's quick-strike offense was in full effect from the start as a game-opening flea flicker from quarterback Tim Johnson to Terry Jones went for 55 yards and got the Blazers into the redzone. Johnson then hit tight end Brooks Brymer for a 20-yard score on the next play to open the scoring.
Faced with a long third down on their ensuing offensive possession, Johnson found a wide-open Cooper Tullo for a 71-yard gain that set up a two-yard touchdown run from Kolbe Blunt. The do-it-all back punched in his second rushing touchdown of the night with 12:27 to go in the first half from eight yards out to give Belhaven a 20-0 lead.
A quick three-and-out forced by the Blazers' defense set up a quick four-play, 59-yard touchdown drive that was capped off by a D'Ante Gallashaw score from ten yards out. Belhaven tacked on another score before half's end on 32-yard touchdown pass from Johnson to Jacobey James-Grace. That touchdown gave the Blazers a commanding 33-0 lead after 30 minutes of play.
The Majors put up their lone touchdown of the night on the opening drive of the second half, but Belhaven countered with a third-quarter score of their own as Devin Daniels scampered in for a four-yard touchdown run.
Up 40-7 heading into the final quarter of action, Belhaven went the length of the field for a 14-play, 99-yard touchdown drive that took about eight minutes off the clock. Caleb Gallashaw capped off the scoring drive with his first career touchdown, a 10-yard run off the left edge to give the Blazers the 40-point margin of victory.
The Blazers were dominant in all phases of the game on Thursday to secure another Riverside Rumble victory. Offensively, Belhaven totaled 553 yards (302 passing, 251 rushing) and averaged just under ten yards per play. Tim Johnson led the way through the air by going 11-for-13 for 261 yards and two touchdowns. James-Grace and Brymer were on the receiving end of Johnson's touchdown passes. Devin Daniels went over the century-mark on the ground, totaling 102 yards and a score on eight carries. D'Ante Gallashaw, Caleb Gallashaw, and Kolbe Blunt (2) each added rushing touchdowns to the ledger.
Sophomore linebacker Landry Huddleston led the way defensively with nine tackles, while Wyatt Beck and Chavarius Garrett added a sack apiece. The Belhaven defense held Millsaps to just 189 total yards of offense in a dominant night from Matt Conner's group.
The Blazers hit the road next Saturday night to take on Lyon College for the final non-conference contest of the season. Kickoff is set for 6 PM CT between the Scots and Blazers.
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