PIKEVILLE, Ky. – For three quarters the Bluefield College Rams and the University of Pikeville Bears battled nip and tuck in the Mid-South Conference and season opener for both teams. In the end it was turnovers and mistakes on the part of the Rams that aided the Bears who claimed a 32-13 win.
Three first half turnovers, a bad snap and a special teams breakdown led to 17 first half points by the Bears.
Pikeville struck first when Elijah Bell returned a Dan Griffin punt 44 yards for a touchdown.  The Bears pooched the ensuing kick and recovered when the ball bounded off a BC up back. However, the Bluefield defense responded and forced UPike to punt.
Taking over on its own 20 following the touchback, the Rams drove the field on a combination of runs  by Adrian Pope, Sam Bennett and Marion Harris, and passes by Terrell Hackney. However, Hackney lost the ball on a keeper on the Bears' 30 ending the drive. After the turnover UPike drove to the Bluefield 22 before the Rams' defense held. Damir Karapandzic botted a 39-yard field goal to give the home team a 10-0 lead.
Damen Daniel took the help at QB for Bluefield in the second quarter and the Rams' running game moved the ball downfield on a mix of power runs, keepers by Daniel and reverses. On a second and 3 from the 25 with 11:16 remaining in the half, Harris took a handoff from Daniel and ran left untouched for Bluefield's first score of the season. Drake Pressley's extra point attempt was blocked.
Carlton Toussaint and the Rams' defense stepped to the fore when he stepped in front of a pass at the Bluefield 39 and returned it to the Pikeville 17. There were two flags on the play, but Bluefield retained possession, nine yards behind where the interception took place. The Rams moved to near midfield before another miscue proved costly… the Bears recovered a fumble at the Rams' 42 with 6:29 left before halftime.
UPike drove to the Bluefield 17 and Karapandzic kicked a 34-yard field goal, his second of the night, with 3:47 showing on the clock. Pikeville's defense then tightened, sacked Daniel twice and forced the Rams to punt from their own 11 with just over two minutes to play before halftime. The snap on the punt sailed over Griffin's head and out of the endzone for a safety giving UPike a 15-6 lead. After the safety Pikeville drove to the Bluefield 10 with 12.4 seconds left before using their final timeout.  Anthony Rivers broke up a pass into the end zone and Karapanzic's 27 yard field goal attempt split the uprights with six ticks left on the clock. UPike carried a 18-6 advantage into the intermission.
Three fumbles and a snap out of the endzone plagued Bluefield in the first half. Eight of Pikeville's 15 points in the first half came off Bluefield turnovers or miscues.
Smith provided fireworks as he took the opening kickoff of the second half 92 yards to the house. He got by the last UPike defender at the Bears' 40 and then raced alone the final 40 to paydirt. Presley's extra point was good to make it 18-13.
The Rams' defense forced a three and out and Karapandzic's punt pinned Bluefield inside the 10. Pope ripped off a 12 yard run on the first play, but the drive stalled when on a third and three the ball was snapped before Daniel was ready. He covered the pigskin but Griffin came on to kick.
Pikeville responded when Quan Weaver carried it the final four yards for the score. The Bears added another score late in the third to go ahead 32-13.
The Rams gained a break early in the fourth. Fielding a punt and returning to its own 20, a pair of 15 yard penalties on the return, both on UPike, gave Bluefield the ball at midfield. However, on the first play from scrimmage the Rams fumbled the ball away.
Bluefield was driving again late in the fourth quarter and Daniel scrambled and picked up 15 yards on the play to the UPike 25, but fumbled when hit. Pikeville recovered and returned the ball to the Rams' 41.
Bluefield compiled 201 yards of offense. Pope ran for 50 yards on 10 carries, Bennett for 40 on nine attempts and Harris 34 on five carries. The Rams had 61 yards passing. Hackney was 4-for-4 for 35 yards, Daniel 4-of-9 for 26 yards. Cory Mabry was the leading receiver with 17 yards on a pair of catches.
Pikeville amassed 332 yards of total offense, 197 on the ground and 135 through the air. Sani Warner was 10-of-21 for 122 yards with an interception. Quan Weaver ran 22 times for 81 yards.
Bluefield fumbled seven times and lost five.
 
At Hillard Howard Field
Bluefield…………..0   6   7   0   - 13
Pikeville…………..10  8   14  0  -  32
First quarter
UP – Elijah Bell 44 yard punt return (Damir Karapanzic kick), 9:32
Second quarter
BC – Marion Harris 25 yard run (kick blocked), 11:09
UP – Karapandzic 34 yard field goal, 3:51
UP – Safety – snap out of end zone, 2:09
UP – Karapandzic 27 yard field goal, 0:06
Third quarter
BC – Rodrell Smith 92 yard kickoff return (Drake Presley kick), 14:42
UP – Quan Weaver 4 yard run (Karapandzic kick), 9:31
UP – Jerome Langford 13 yard pass from Russell Gordon (Karapandzic kick), :13.1
 
..