JACKSON, Miss. – The Bluefield College football team paired a strong running attack with four defensive interceptions on Saturday at H.T. Newell Field to take a 45-27 win over Belhaven University for a cross-divisional Mid-South Conference win. The Rams (2-5) amassed a program-best 446 rushing yards on 67 carries, while Carlton Toussaint had three interceptions and Joel Calfee added one more to hold the pass-oriented Blazers (2-4) at bay.
 
For just the second time, the Rams had a pair of 100-yard rushers. Sam Bennett rumbled for 138 yards on 13 carries, including an 85-yard score in the first quarter, and Adrian Pope tallied 115 yards on the ground on just five carries and reeled off a lengthy 70-yard scamper of his own. The Rams' only other time with two 100-yard rushers came last year against Union (Ky.), when the team totaled 420 rushing yards.
 
After neither team scored on their opening drive, Belhaven used a 12-play, 73-yard drive to take a 7-0 lead at the 8:07 mark and ignited what turned into a high scoring first quarter.
 
Bluefield responded with a 74-yard drive of its own, taking just six plays. Adrian Pope broke loose for a 30-yard gain during the series, while a 25-yard scoring run from Quincey Mock knotted the game at 7-all after James Gunn's successful PAT.
 
Belhaven looked to respond, but stalled on the Rams' 15-yard line after three-straight incomplete passes from Mickey Forrest, including a toss on fourth-and-five to turn the ball over to BC.
 
The Rams wasted no time in taking advantage of the defensive stop, as Bennett hauled 85 yards for the score on the first play from scrimmage and earned Bluefield a 14-7 lead.
 
The opening quarter waged on and Belhaven used five plays to drive 79 yards, squaring the game with 16 seconds on the clock.
 
But, on the ensuing kickoff Rodrell Smith provided an 89-yard return to set BC up at the Blazers' five-yard line. The Rams capitalized on the big return immediately, as Dixon connected with Mason Maples for the five-yard score on what turned out to be his sole pass completion of the game on just five attempts.
 
The Blazers drove deep into BC territory once again as the second quarter opened, but a fourth-down pass attempt went incomplete once again, this time from the Rams' 13-yard line.
 
A Daniel Griffin punt began the Blazers at their own 11-yard line, then a Dakota Painter sack landed the squad back at their own one-yard line. The possession then fell apart for Belhaven as Toussaint grabbed his first interception of the game and returned it 16 yards to the Blazers' 15-yard line.
 
Bluefield converted a fourth-and-two on a Bennett rush, but couldn't find the endzone after the turnover. James Gunn sent a 21-yard field goal through the uprights for a 24-14 Bluefield lead.
 
An eight-play, 61-yard scoring drive was capped by a second Kadero Edley rushing score and trimmed the Rams' lead to 24-21 with 1:28 to play in the half.
 
An on-side kick from the Blazers set up the Rams in Belhaven territory as the first half began to wind to a close. A pair of quick rushes from Marion Harris gained 11 yards, while a face mask penalty moved the Rams down the field even faster. The running continued despite a winding clock, as Dixon tallied eight yards and Harris 11 more down to the BU one-yard line. Dixon then snuck in for the score with 10 seconds to go to earn BC a 31-21 lead at halftime.
 
Bluefield failed a fourth-down attempt to open the second half, as Dixon was sacked on the conversion try. The second half start for the Blazers continued to their liking as a six-play, 57-yard drive tightened the score to 31-27, with the PAT being no good.
 
Smith provided a 28-yard return on the ensuing kickoff, and Pope broke free for 70 yards on the first play from scrimmage to sit the Rams on the Blazers' two-yard line. Dixon once again provided the punch into the endzone, moving the Rams advantage to 38-27.
 
Calfee picked off Forrest on the second play of the Blazers' next possession, but BC would not convert on the takeaway as a Gunn field goal attempt from 36 yards was blocked.
 
Bluefield put the finishing touches on the game early in the fourth quarter, as they used a seven-play, 81-yard drive for what would be the final scoring of the afternoon. Bennett and Mock provided 24 and 15-yard rushes on back-to-back plays to set up first-and-goal. Bennett then broke into the endzone for his second score of the day on a six-yard rush.
 
The Blazers continued to look to the air for quick points as the game came to a close, but Toussaint snagged two more of Forrest's pass attempts to stifle the attack and come up with the first-ever three-interception day for a BC defender.
 
Bluefield took its final possession with 6:27 on the clock and ran off the remaining time for the 45-27 victory.

After missing last week's game against Bethel due to illness, kicker Gunn sailed his eight kickoffs 478 yards for an average of 59.8 yards per kick, and tallied one more touchback to aid the Rams in the battle of field position. Gunn went 1-for-2 in field goal tries.
 
Griffin logged a pair of punts for BC, totaling 89 yards with both landing the Blazers inside their own 20.
 
In addition to the Rams' 100-yard rushers, Harris added 91 more yards on the ground attack, and freshman Mock compiled 79 yards.
 
Cordell Johns led the Rams defense with eight tackles, including one sack. Joel Calfee and Khaliyl Thompson followed with six and five tackles, respectively. Anthony Rivers had three pass break ups in covering the Blazers' highly active receivers.
 
The Blazers' Forrest closed the night completing 30-of-59 pass attempts, with four interceptions. He threw for 434 yards, with Greg Livingston and Lamiqu Roberts being his top receivers, totaling 167 and 139 yards, respectively.
 
The Blazers rushed for just 43 yards on the afternoon on only 15 attempts.
 
Bluefield returns to action at Union (Ky.) next week, with game time set for 7 p.m.