WEST TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The Bellarmine sprint football team concluded their regular season Saturday afternoon at Ray Barrett Field, taking on a Saint Mary-of-the-Woods team who they will see again next week. The Knights defense played admirably, forcing a pair of Pomeroys turnovers, but the offense struggled to get it going as Bellarmine fell 35-7.
 
It was a tumultuous first few possessions for Bellarmine. The Knights gained a first down on their first drive before having a punt blocked. SMWC would then drive 50 yards and Derron Hazzard would run it in from one yard out for the game's first score.
 
On the ensuing drive, Knights senior running back Brenden Reid would fumble for the first of four Bellarmine first-half turnovers, but SMWC proceeding to turn it over on downs. On Bellarmine's following possession, Morris was intercepted as he was hit, but the Bellarmine defense held serve once again and forced another turnover on downs.
 
Shortly thereafter, SMWC was finally able to capitalize on a Bellarmine mistake. A shotgun snap from the Knights' own 15 went well to quarterback Dylan Morris' right and the Pomeroys' Bryton Suggs recovered it in the endzone for a touchdown to go up 14-0.
 
Early in the second quarter, senior defensive back Lance Weiter grabbed his 10th career interception. On the next drive, Morris would hit Morgan Capps for a 27-yard gain on 3rd and 25, but the freshman quarterback would be intercepted on the following play. Still, the resilient Knights defense forced another Pomeroys turnover on downs.
 
The Knights finally got something going on offense when Morris hit Reid on a deep pass down the middle for a 42-yard gain on 3rd and 15 to reach the SMWC 5-yard-line. Reid would punch it in two plays later for Bellarmine's first score to cut the deficit to seven at 14-7.
 
That score would remain until nearly six minutes were gone in the third when Pomeroys quarterback Jeremiah Tosky hit Kadin Witvoet for a 7-yard score to put SMWC up 21-7. From that point, SMWC went on to put the game out of reach.
 
After the Knights' next drive stalled, SMWC blocked another punt and this time Adonimi Parker ran it back for a touchdown with 6:56 remaining in the third to take a three-touchdown lead at 28-7.
 
The Pomeroys would add a 25-yard touchdown from Tosky to Kaden Matzke with 7:43 left in the game to make it 35-7 and round out the scoring.
 
Reid finished the game with a game-high 84 yards on the ground and added 43 yards on two catches.
 
Tosky finished 17-for-31 with 177 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. His top target was Xander Hunt, who hauled in six grabs for 63 yards. Hazzard finished with 43 rushing yards and his backfield mate Zy'Eiar White added 50 yards on seven carries.
 
Bellarmine will head right back to West Terre Haute next weekend to face SMWC in the MSFL semifinals. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. ET.
 
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