Senior Quarterback Blake Loomis throws a pass against Bellbrook High School in Friday’s contest Aug. 28. | ZESTTPHOTO TONY BARRETT
BELLEFONTAINE — The Bellefontaine Chieftains got off to a promising start Friday night, but a dominant second quarter from the Bellbrook Golden Eagles turned the tide as Bellbrook rolled to a 49-17 victory in Bellefontaine.
The Chieftains opened the game with plenty of momentum, taking a 10-0 lead after the first quarter. Quarterback Blake Loomis connected with Dillon Jones on a 61-yard touchdown pass, while kicker Noah Torsell added a 28-yard field goal to give Bellefontaine the early advantage.
Bellbrook, however, responded with an offensive explosion in the second quarter.
The Golden Eagles scored five touchdowns in the quarter, piling up 35 points to turn a 10-point deficit into a 35-10 halftime lead. Eli Edwards got Bellbrook on the board with a 9-yard touchdown reception from Grant Diorio before Bronson Epifano broke loose for a 51-yard rushing touchdown.
Bellbrook continued to find big plays on the ground, with Jack Kosins scoring on runs of 72 and 10 yards. Epifano added another touchdown through the air, hauling in a 17-yard scoring pass from Diorio to cap the five-touchdown quarter.
Bellbrook added two more rushing touchdowns in the third quarter, with Kenton Gerdes scoring from three yards out and Henry Beeghly finding the end zone from five yards, extending the advantage to 49-10.
Bellefontaine managed the game's final score in the fourth quarter when Evan Alexander broke free for a 26-yard touchdown run, bringing the final margin to 49-17.
Senior CJ Butler (4) snags a pass out of the air during Friday’s contest against Bellbrook on Aug 29.| ZESTTPHOTO TONY BARRETT
Despite the final score, the Chieftains moved the ball effectively through the air. Loomis completed 11 of 17 passes for 161 yards, including the 61-yard touchdown to Jones. He also finished with 11 rushing yards on three attempts.
Bellefontaine totaled 247 yards of offense, including 161 passing yards and 86 rushing yards. Bryant Carter led the rushing attack with 63 yards on 19 carries, while Loomis added 11 yards on the ground.
Bellbrook, meanwhile, controlled the game with its rushing attack, finishing with 319 rushing yards on 31 attempts and 384 total yards. The Golden Eagles averaged more than 10 yards per rushing attempt and consistently produced explosive plays once they found their rhythm.
The loss drops Bellefontaine to 1-1 on the season after opening the year with a 35-14 victory over Sidney. Bellbrook improves to 2-0, following its 27-14 win over Tippecanoe in Week 1.
For the Chieftains, the challenge now turns toward Week 3, when they will look to bounce back against Marion Harding on Sept. 4.
