Bellefonte football suffers setback against Bellwood-Antis, as offensive struggles hold it back
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BELLEFONTE - While the Bellefonte team that took down Richland last week was present to start the following game against Bellwood-Antis, the momentum gained from that momentous win didn’t end up lasting long. A costly interception in enemy territory got the ball rolling for the Blue Devils, and the Red Raiders never quite got back on track.
Bellefonte (5-4) went from picking up five first downs on its first two drives to logging none within its next six. Its defense stood firm initially, holding Bellwood-Antis to seven points through two quarters. But the Red Raiders ultimately ran out of steam, and those seven points turned into 27 unanswered by the midway point of the fourth, as they fell, 27-3, to cap a three-game win streak in demoralizing fashion at Rogers Stadium on Friday night.
It was a rough setback given how high Bellefonte has climbed since Week 5. And while it was certainly influenced by injuries, with key two-way player Ashten Howell missing Friday's contest, head coach Tony Confer didn't use that as an excuse following the loss.
"Obviously, you go all the way like we did last week, and it's hard to come back and play to that level. We didn't play very good football on either side of the ball, but offense was our biggest Achilles heel tonight," said Confer.
"We didn't move the ball well, didn't put it in the endzone. (Bellwood-Antis) is a very good football team defensively. They get to the football fast, and we just didn't have any answers offensively."
While the offense stalled quickly, Bellefonte's defense held as long as it could.
Its first sequence was a tough one to swallow, as Bellwood-Antis converted two third-and-longs and esteemed back Alex McCartney (24 rushes, 104 yards) punched it in from ten yards out to give it a 7-0 lead late in the first. But the Red Raiders bounced back seamlessly, holding Bellwood scoreless on its next four possessions.
That was enough to keep Bellefonte within one possession heading into the break. However, offensive momentum goes a long way in fueling defensive momentum, and that showed in the second half.
Bellwood-Antis came out of the break and was able to re-establish the success it had on its first drive, turning a fourth-and-three into a 28-yard touchdown pass to up its lead to 14-0 after trudging down the field. And with Bellefonte's offensive continuing to stall, it was only a matter of time before the Blue Devils increased it again. And again.
"Eventually, things break a little bit when you're not putting the offense in the end zone and possessing the ball offensively," said Confer. "Last week, we did a great job possessing the ball. This week, we didn't do that well."
Bellwood's next two offensive drives were carbon cutouts of the previous. The Blue Devils fed McCartney 13 times in the second half and trusted other backs whenever he needed a break, and the Red Raiders had less and less success halting that rush attack as the game went on.
Ultimately, Bellwood turned 23 second-half rushes into 111 yards while quarterback Bradyn Partner showed he could use arm when needed. Coupled with good field position, they turned that success into three touchdown drives in a row, and each drive took about five minutes off the clock to diminish Bellefonte's chances further.
"Bellwood was just the better team. They were more physical than us tonight," said Confer. "That was one of my concerns. Our kids have been physical all year, but I know that team over there, they're always physical, and that was a big challenge for us tonight."
The Red Raiders did put together a solid closing drive to give fans one positive to take home, with Tristan Liadis capping it off with a 21-yard field goal to prevent the shutout. That served as a silver lining in the loss, but Confer anticipates a week of hard work to come as they look to bounce back in next week's LHAC crossover game.
"We've got to get back to it Monday and get ready for our crossover game next week," said Confer. "It is what it is. We're going to move on from it, and we're going to get better. Get ready for Week 10 and get ready for playoffs."
Bellwood-Antis 27, Bellefonte 3
Bellwood 7 0 14 6 – 27
Bellefonte 0 0 0 3 – 3
1st Quarter
BA – Alex McCartney 10 run (Miles Smearman kick), 3:13.
3rd Quarter
BA – Bradyn Partner to Ethan Shawley 28 pass (Smearman kick), 7:12.
BA – McCartney 1 run (Smearman kick), 1:00.
4th Quarter
BA – Chase Plummer 7 run (PAT no good), 6:12.
B – Tristan Liadis 21 field goal, :41.
TEAM STATISTICS BA B
First Downs 15
Rushes-yards 42-190 24-70
Passing yards 77 60
Comp-Att-Int 8-11-0 7-19-1
Total yards 239 130
Fumbles-lost 2-2 2-0
Penalties-yards 4-30 4-25
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: Bellwood-Antis, Alex McCartney 24-104, 2 TDs; Braydyn Partner 9-51; Brady Crist 5-32; Chase Plummer 3-10, TD; Jackson Dorminy 1-3. Bellefonte, Ethan Speerstra 9-52; Quinn Park 4-12; Jibril Jasseh 1-6; Alten Howell 4-5; Parker Jodon 3-3; Kolton Ammerman 1-(-4); TEAM 1-(-4).
PASSING: Bellwood-Antis, Partner 8-11-0 77 yards, TD. Bellefonte, Alten Howell 5-14-1 33 yards; Quinn Park 2-5-0 27 yards.
RECEIVING: Bellwood-Antis, Ethan Shawley 3-40, TD; Jeffrey Waite 2-16; Curtis Shedlock 2-13; Jackson Dorminy 1-8. Bellefonte, Parker Jodon 3-22; Landyn Langille 3-24; Kolton Ammerman 1-14.
INTERCEPTIONS: Bellwood-Antis, Ethan Shawley 1.
RECORDS: Bellwood-Antis 7-2; Bellefonte 5-4.