This may have been Belfry head football coach Philip Haywood’s most gratifying championship.
A season filled with bumps along the road ended in celebration as the Pirates knocked off previously unbeaten Bell County, 30-20, before a crowd of nearly 8,300 fans at Kroger Field on Friday night.
“So many people, and some even our own fans, had given up on this football team,” Haywood said following his seventh title. “Our coaches and players never did. I’m just so proud of the job we done as a team.”
Belfry, which finished 11-3, held a slim 17-12 halftime lead before two fourth-quarter touchdown runs by running back Isaac Dixon and Ben Bentley put the game out of reach at 30-12 with 4 minutes, 30 seconds remaining.
Dixon, who rushed for 228 yards and three scores, had a pair in the first half touchdown runs and Grayson Cook added a 24-yard field goal. Dixon had TD runs of 30, 69 and eight yards.
Peyton Hensley rushed for 98 yards and Bentley added 52 as Belfry ran for 379 yards.
Belfry’s defense held the Bobcats to their lowest point production all season long.
At Kroger Field
(Class 3A championship)
SCORE BY QUARTERS:
BF (11-3)……7 10 0 13 – 30
BC (14-1)……0 12 0 8 – 20
Scoring:
First Quarter
BF – Isaac Dixon, 30-yard run (Grayson Cook kick), 3:12
Second Quarter
BC – London Stephney, 1-yard run (kick failed), 10:11
BF – Isaac Dixon, 69-yard run (Grayson Cook kick), 9:14
BC – Hunter Bailey, 5-yard run (run failed), 4:19
BF – Grayson Cook, 24-yard field goal, :05
Third Quarter
No scoring
Fourth Quarter
BF – Isaac Dixon, 8-yard run (kick failed), 9:59
BF – Ben Bentley, 2-yard run (Grayson Cook kick), 4:31
BC – London Stephney, 6-yard run (Chandler Mink pass from London Stephney), 2:42