WHITING, Ind. — The Bellarmine University sprint football team saw its 2026 season come to a close Saturday evening, falling 17-14 to Calumet College of St. Joseph in the Midwest Sprint Football League semifinals at Jeff Cain Stadium.
The fourth-seeded Knights (0-7) gave the top-seeded Crimson Wave a battle, taking an early lead before ultimately coming up three points short.
Bellarmine struck first when Jamie Jones connected with Aiden Bratcher for a 21-yard touchdown on the Knights' opening possession. Ryan Bowen added the extra point to give Bellarmine a 7-0 advantage. Calumet responded with a safety before taking a 9-7 lead on a touchdown pass from DJ Bowles to Nathanial Hoskins in the second quarter.
The Crimson Wave extended their advantage to 17-7 in the third quarter with a 54-yard touchdown reception by Tre Simmons.
Bellarmine continued to fight into the fourth quarter, getting back within three when Wy Morris returned an interception 30 yards for a touchdown. Bowen converted the extra point to make it a 17-14 contest with nearly 15 minutes remaining.
The Knights' defense continued to give Bellarmine opportunities, forcing three interceptions. Wy Morris, Derek White and Cooper Jones each recorded an interception, while Malakai Willis paced the defensive effort with eight tackles, including a team-high 5.5 tackles for loss and a sack. Gavin Brazzell and Riley McGrath also finished with eight tackles apiece.
Offensively, Bratcher led the Knights with five receptions for 58 yards and a touchdown. Jones completed two passes for 42 yards and a score, while Dylan Morris added 80 passing yards. Steven Carter contributed two receptions for 33 yards.
Calumet finished with 304 yards of total offense, including 163 on the ground, while Bellarmine totaled 117 yards.
The loss brings Bellarmine's 2026 campaign to a close in the MSFL semifinals.
