Box Score ABILENE, Texas – McMurry University football won a defensive tussle versus Belhaven University, 14-10, in its 2015 home finale at Wilford Moore Stadium. The War Hawks' (3-4) win over the Blazers (1-8) snapped McM's three-game losing skein.
While the Halloween Day win was a treat for the War Hawks, it was a "trick" to Belhaven's passing game, which came in averaging more than 330 yards per game. The McM secondary held BU below their average – giving up just 263 yards via the air – and picking off two passes.
Belhaven did hold the edge in total offense (393-315). The Blazers took the lead in the game, 3-0, scoring on their opening possession with 10:30 remaining in the first quarter.
With just 37 seconds left in the opening period, McM freshman
Dontrell Dock capped a nine-play, 89-yard drive with an eight-yard run. The extra point kick was blocked, leaving the War Hawks with a 6-3 lead.
Belhaven again took the upper hand midway through the second quarter. Quarterback Clayton Webb dove in from one yard out with 6:12 left until halftime to culminate a 10-play, 72-yard series for BU. The PAT made it 10-6.
The two teams exchanged punts before McM took possession with 3:07 left until the break on their own 33. Back-to-back passes from
Matthew McHugh to
Tyreace House picked up a total of 39 yards. That was followed by successive Dock runs of 8 and 15 yards, first-and-10 at the BU 15. McHugh ran for no gain on the next snap before hitting his twin brother
David McHugh on the second down play.
David McHugh made a sterling grab, dragging his foot just inside the line for the touchdown.
Matthew McHugh passed to
Charles Agugua for the two-point conversion that made it 14-10 in favor of the War Hawks, as the score remained heading to the locker room. Little did either side know that would be the last scoring for the afternoon.
The Blazers made the last threat to McM on its very last possession of the game. After getting the ball back from McMurry on a punt with 1:38 left to play, beginning matters from its own eight. Operating after having already exhausted its allotted timeouts, six-consecutive completions by Belhaven's Webb helped move the ball out to the McM 40. An incompletion with one second left to play brought the Blazers to their last gasp. Webb heaved the ball toward the end zone, but the McMurry secondary was waiting and senior
Desmond Guy made the interception for the War Hawks as the clock expired to preserve the win.
McMurry's defense was led by linebacker
Marlon Jackson, who had 15 total tackles (nine solo). Fellow linebacker
Chase Franklin had nine tackles and a sack.
Calvin Middlebrooks and Jacob Franklin each had seven stops.
Decorian Johnson had McM's other interception of the Blazers and followed with a 48-yard return. Sophomore lineman
William Simpson also had a sack for the War Hawks.
House had 104 all-purpose yards in the game, 54 receiving and a 50-yard kickoff return. Dock had 103 all-purpose yards, finishing the game with 92 rushing and 11 receiving yards.
Matthew McHugh was 16-for-26 passing, good for 193 yards.
McMurry will close out the 2015 season next Saturday (Nov. 7) at Louisiana College. Kickoff in Pineville is slated for 1 p.m.
