Big plays hurt Oak Ridge in 49-37 loss to Bellaire

When you’re 0-2, you look for the positives that you did right and work on the negatives. But when you’re 0-3, the positives get a lot harder to spot.

Oak Ridge did get some positives in the second half, scoring 28 points in the second half. But all that offensive effort was wasted in a 49-37 loss to Bellaire at Moorehead Stadium. The War Eagles continued to give up big plays on defense and dug a big hole for themselves that was hard to climb out of.

Bellaire scored five of its seven touchdowns on plays of 40 yards or more, including three of them coming from wide receiver Devin Lauderdale.

The Cardinals scored first on a 9-yard touchdown run by running back Denzel Evans, but on the extra point, Oak Ridge cornerback Decorian Johnson blocked the kick, and linebacker Terrell Mallett scooped the ball and ran 90 yards for the two-point conversion and a 6-2 Bellaire lead.

The War Eagles took their first lead of the game – and of the season – off of a fumble recovery by Armontrie Sneed that resulted in a 6-yard touchdown run by Michael Handy to put them up 9-6. Oak Ridge only had seconds to enjoy its lead, as a 71-yard touchdown pass from Denzel Johnson to Lauderdale on the first play of the ensuing Bellaire drive gave the Cards the lead back, and they would hold on to it. Johnson would score on a 35-yard keeper late in the second quarter to put Bellaire up 21-9 at halftime.

Oak Ridge (0-3) would respond on its first drive of the second half, as the War Eagles marched 76 yards on 11 plays, capping it with a 3-yard touchdown pass from Handy to running back Bernard Pierre to cut the lead to five. But it took Lauderdale and the Cardinals one play to answer back, as he took an option pitch 71 yards for the score to make it 28-16.

Eight minutes later, Lauderdale would haul in a 60-yard bomb for another score, then after forcing Oak Ridge to punt, Evans broke loose for a 40-yard touchdown run to give Bellaire a 42-16 lead with 57 seconds left in the third quarter.

Oak Ridge didn’t give up the fight, scoring two touchdowns in a row as Handy threw an 11-yard score to receiver Kyle Adams, then led a 13-play, 80-yard drive that resulted in a 4-yard touchdown run by Handy to cut the lead to 12 with under five minutes left. But another big Bellaire play put the game on ice as Evans exploded for a 49-yard touchdown run with 3:12 left.

Handy connected with Adams for a 49-yard touchdown play, but it was too little, too late.

The War Eagles now will head to Baytown next Friday to take on Sterling at Stallworth Stadium in search of its first win of the season.