Belton Breaks Through, 38-34: Tigers Outduel Bryan Rudder for First Win of the Season

BRYAN — Belton head coach Brett Sniffin talked this week about wanting to see his team play a complete game as it sought its first win after three near-misses the last month. The Tigers heeded their coach’s words Friday night. Belton jumped on Bryan Rudder early, building a 14-point gap in the first half then overcoming three turnovers with the help of three blocked kicks that led to points as the Tigers shook off the Rangers 38-34 in a back-and-forth District 10-5A-II affair at Merrill Green Stadium. “We talked about it all week. We’ve been playing good for three quarters. We had to finish and play in the fourth quarter, and our boys did it tonight. We did it tonight,” Sniffin said after the game as Belton players spilled from the visiting locker room, some screaming, some high-fiving, all of them relishing their first victory of the season. “This win was really special because these kids stuck with us. They didn’t quit like some of those kids quit on us. They didn’t quit. They stuck with it and they fought and they got better each week in practice, and man, I am so proud to be their coach.” Belton (1-7, 1-2) trailed 34-31 entering the final quarter after Jaquise Martin hauled in his third touchdown catch for Rudder (6-2, 1-2) when he slipped behind a Tigers defender and gathered Javyn Jessie’s 53-yard heave as time expired in the third. Martin finished with eight catches for 149 yards while Jessie was 21-of-32 passing for 278 yards and four TDs. The TD came just four plays after the Tigers assumed a 31-28 lead on Will Shepard’s 22-yard scoring pass to Collin Taylor to cap a 10-play, 59-yard drive. Shepard completed 18 of 33 passes for 243 yards with two TDs and an interception and also led all players with 87 yards rushing as the Tigers outgained the Rangers 127-90 on the ground. The teams traded leads four times, but Belton’s defense didn’t allow much else the rest of the way, forcing two turnovers on downs and two punts on the Rangers’ other four second-half chances. Damien Tiumalu broke through to block the last of those Rudder punts to set up a 7-yard TD pass from Shepard to Achilles Palomares that provided the winning points with 6:42 remaining. Palomares grabbed the quick throw at the line of scrimmage and burst through the defense and over the goal line. Belton then forced a turnover on downs, stopping the Rangers on a QB sneak on fourth-and-1, before draining the game’s final 5 minutes thanks to a 10-yard Shepard tote and four Kegan Sherwood carries for 18 yards. “Just heart. All week we’ve been preaching not to give up, not to stop. Fourth quarter, like don’t get denied. I saw everybody play through the whole game tonight and I was super proud of that,” said Sherwood, who blocked Belton’s other two kicks, one a punt that led to the first points of the night and later a PAT that Azian Wilkinson scooped up and returned the length of the field for two points. The Tigers scored on all three of their first-quarter possessions to put Rudder in a quick 21-7 hole. Then two fumbles just before halftime undid the work. Tiumalu had two stops for loss on the opening drive, which ended when Sherwood blocked Christian Ocampo’s punt to set up Shepard’s 1-yard sneak that provided a quick 7-0 edge, although Rudder immediately matched when Martin grabbed Jessie’s 17-yard jump ball in the right corner of the end zone. Belton responded by driving 75 yards on 11 plays, including a 25-yard strike from Shepard to Gavin Ross, to stay in front when Gino Zecca danced in from 5 yards out after the senior sidestepped a Rudder defender that met him behind the line. Ross had team highs of eight catches for 124 yards. An ensuing 3-and-out from Rudder and a 17-yard Ross punt return then gave Belton prime field position and shortly after Shepard took a keeper 30 yards around the left side for a 14-point gap just before the second frame. That’s when the Rangers flipped the script, scoring on all three of their drives, to storm back in front prior to halftime, two of which were set up by Belton fumbles. BEL TON 38, BRYAN RUDDER 34 Belton 21 2 8 7 — 38 Rudder 7 21 6 0 — 34 Bel — Will Shepard 1 run (Cole Angell kick) Rud — Jaquise Martin 17 pass from Javyn Jessie (Christian Ocampo kick) Bel — Gino Zecca 5 run (Angell kick) Bel — Shepard 30 run (Angell kick) Rud — Martin 22 pass from Jessie (kick failed) Bel — Azian Wilkinson block PAT return Rud — Jessie 10 run (Ocampo kick) Rud — AJ Morrison 30 pass from Jessie (Jayden Erksine pass from Jessie) Bel — Collin Taylor 22 pass from Shepard (Shepard run) Rud — Martin 53 pass from Jessie (pass failed) Bel — Achilles Palomares 7 pass from Shepard (Angell kick) TEAM STATISTICS Bel Rud First downs 22 15 Rushes-yards 33-127 30-90 Passing yards 241 281 Comp.-Att.-Int. 19-34-1 21-32-0 Punts-average 2-30 2-33 Fumbles-lost 3-2 1-0 Penalties-yards 2-15 8-67 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING — Belton: Shepard 14-87, Kegan Sherwood 5-24, Zecca 11-18, Marlon Bluntson 1-2, team 2-(-4); Rudder: Morrison 18-67, Martin 4-15, Jessie 8-8. PASSING — Belton: Shepard 18-33-1-243, Gavin Ross 1-1-0-(-2); Rudder: Jessie 21-32-0-281. RECEIVING — Belton: Ross 8-124, Taylor 3-47, Collin Sallee 3-35, Sherwood 1-13, Evan Echipare 1-10, Josiah Martinez 1-7, Palomares 1-7, Shepard 1-(-2); Rudder: Martin 8-149, Randon Cooks 3-46, Kayden Holmes 5-37, Morrison 1-30, Brandon Cooks 4-19.

THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Belton High School Athletics

BELTON BREAKS THROUGH, 38-34: TIGERS OUTDUEL BRYAN RUDDER FOR FIRST WIN OF THE SEASON

JON BROOKS | TELEGRAM STAFF

Temple Daily Telegram | 10/27/2024

PHOTO CREDIT: Tiger Media BHS