LOUISVILLE, KY - Quincy Sprint Football earned a 21-14 road victory over Bellarmine on Saturday, using a strong start, a timely fourth-quarter touchdown, and a pair of interceptions to secure the win.
The Hawks improved to 2-3 overall and in Midwest Sprint Football League play, remain in third place in the conference standings with one regular-season game left to play.
Quincy established control early, scoring in the first quarter and adding another touchdown just before halftime.
After Bellarmine rallied in the second half to make it a one-point game, the Hawks responded with the go-ahead score and made key defensive and special teams plays down the stretch to close out the victory.
First Quarter
The first quarter opened with Quincy moving the ball into Bellarmine territory before being forced to punt. The Hawks' defense then made an immediate impact when
Victor Valenzuela intercepted a pass from the Bellarmine QB and returned it 27 yards to the Bellarmine nine-yard line.
Quincy capitalized on the turnover, with
Travon Hegler-Wright breaking free for a 19-yard rushing touchdown at the 10:50 mark.
Jensen Laughlin converted the extra point to give the Hawks a 7-0 lead.
Quincy's defense continued to apply pressure throughout the opening quarter, including a sack shared by
Kamryn Flachs-Hill and
Kyron Dunae.
Bellarmine later attempted a 54-yard field goal, but the kick missed, allowing the Hawks to maintain their advantage heading into the second quarter.
Second Quarter
Quincy extended its lead in the second quarter with a methodical scoring drive that covered 68 yards over 11 plays. Quarterback
Deuce Allaway connected with
Brian Klingel for a 17-yard gain and later found
Lafabian Fain for a 21-yard reception to help move the offense downfield.
With just 20 seconds remaining before halftime, Allaway finished the drive with a 16-yard rushing touchdown. Laughlin added the extra point, giving Quincy a 14-0 lead at the break.
The Hawks' offense leaned on its rushing attack and timely passing plays to keep the drive moving, while the defense continued to limit Bellarmine's opportunities.
Quincy entered halftime with a two-touchdown advantage after holding Bellarmine scoreless through the first two quarters.
Third Quarter
Bellarmine responded in the third quarter after recovering a Quincy fumble near midfield. Bellarmine's quarterback connected on a 20-yard pass to move the offense into scoring position before throwing a 19-yard touchdown pass at the 10:33 mark.
The extra point brought the score to 14-7.
Quincy looked to answer but was unable to put together another scoring drive in the quarter. Allaway provided a spark with a 17-yard rush, while completions to
Evan Lopez and Klingel helped the Hawks move the ball.
However, Bellarmine's defense forced a punt, and Quincy's lead remained at seven points heading into the final quarter.
Fourth Qaurter
Bellarmine continued its momentum early in the fourth quarter, putting together an 11-play, 61-yard drive that ended with a one-yard rushing touchdown at 9:37. The successful extra point cut Quincy's lead to 14-13, putting the pressure on the Hawks to respond.
Quincy delivered when it mattered most. The Hawks put together a 63-yard scoring drive, using a combination of runs from Hegler-Wright and contributions from Klingel to move down the field.
Hegler-Wright capped the drive with a 22-yard rushing touchdown at the 3:31 mark. Laughlin converted the extra point, restoring Quincy's two-score cushion at 21-14.
The Hawks' defense then made one final crucial play to protect the lead. With 1:27 remaining, the Bellarmine attempted a pass on fourth-and-seven, but
Carter Hildebrand intercepted the ball at the Quincy 30-yard line. The turnover gave the Hawks possession and helped prevent Bellarmine from mounting another scoring opportunity.
Quincy also relied on its special teams to finish the game. With time expiring, Laughlin delivered a 63-yard punt that pinned Bellarmine at its own four-yard line as the final seconds ran off the clock.
After the Final Whistle
Laughlin finished the afternoon with five punts for 199 yards, averaging 39.8 yards per punt, and placed two punts inside the 20-yard line. He also converted all three of his extra-point attempts and averaged 57.3 yards on four kickoffs.
Hegler-Wright led Quincy's rushing attack with 121 yards on 14 carries, averaging 8.6 yards per attempt, and scored twice.
Allaway added 17 rushing yards and a touchdown while completing 12 of 19 passes for 94 yards.
Klingel contributed 24 rushing yards on eight carries and led the receiving group with four catches for 34 yards.
Fain added four receptions for 28 yards, while Lopez recorded two catches for 23 yards.
Defensively,
Larry Watson Jr. led the Hawks with 11 tackles. Flachs-Hill recorded seven tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks, while
Donnell Packer finished with five tackles, three tackles for loss, and one sack.
Dunae added 1.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks, helping Quincy finish with four sacks as a team. Valenzuela and Hildebrand each recorded an interception, giving the Hawks two takeaways through the air.
Quincy finished with 261 yards of total offense, including 167 rushing yards, compared to Bellarmine's 166 total yards. The Hawks also held an advantage in first downs, 17-10, and controlled possession for 36:49 of the game.
Despite a pair of lost fumbles, Quincy made the key plays on both sides of the ball to secure the road win.
The victory keeps Quincy in third place in the Midwest Sprint Football League standings as the Hawks prepare for their final regular-season game. They will travel to Midway, KY to face Midway University on Saturday, October 24th with a kickoff time of 12:00 PM.
