PIKEVILLE, Ky. -- Sixth-ranked Reinhardt hit the ground running and didn't let up as it topped the University of Pikeville football team 62-7 on Saturday at the Hambley Athletic Complex.

The Eagles (4-0) took off on four touchdown runs of 45 yards or more as they outgained the Bears 532-73 rushing and 700-248 in total offense. The tone was set on the second play of the game when L.J. Stegall went 63 yards untouched for six. Stegall finished with 113 yards and two touchdowns on just eight carries.

After UPIKE's Jamar Kirksey fumbled at his own nine-yard line on the Bears' ensuing drive, Reinhardt quickly went up 14-0 just under three minutes into the game. Adding on to the Bears' poor start, Bowen Smith threw an interception on the next drive, but luckily Romon Morris was there on defense to return the favor with a pick of his own.

UPIKE (2-3) showed brief life on offense when it went 81 yards on eight plays late in the first quarter for a touchdown. The drive included a 28-yard pass to Mikal Howard and a 26-yard strike to Braxton Whitmore by Smith, before the freshman kept it on his own for the final five yards.

But that ended up being the Bears' only points of the day as it turned the ball over four times and failed to stop the Eagles' stellar rushing attack. Reinhardt went on to score the next 41 points, including a 21-0 shutout in the second quarter.

Smith finished 12-of-26 passing for 152 yards with three interceptions, while RU starter Ryan Thompson completed 6 of 14 for 168 yards and two touchdowns with one pick. Stegall and Stanlee Logue both ran for over 100 yards with 113 and 119, respectively. UPIKE only had two rushers post positive numbers in Willie McCloud with 64 yards and Xondre Willis with 20.

Whitmore caught a game-high six passes for 81 yards and Anfernee Brown hauled in three catches for 35. Jack Hopkins led the Bears' defense with 10 tackles while three others finished with six tackles each.  

HOW IT WENT DOWN

• Stegall looked like a blaze of lightning as he made one cut after going up the middle, then ran down the sideline untouched for 63 yards on just the second play of the game (0-7).
• Following a UPIKE fumble on the next drive, Reinhardt got to start out with a first and goal on the four and scored in three plays on a one-yard rush by Deonte Dennis (0-14, 12:19 1st).
• With over six minutes still left in the first quarter, Reinhardt scored on its longest pass play of the game as Thompson connected with Aaron Kennedy for 68 yards (0-21).
• UPIKE's lone scoring drive was a good one, gaining 81 yards on eight plays as Smith finished it off with a five-yard keeper (7-21).
• The second quarter was dominated by Reinhardt from start to finish. Stegall added touchdown runs of six and two yards to start things off, followed by Sonny Harris running in from 10 yards out after starting the drive on the UPIKE 21 following a fumble (7-42, Halftime).
• Running on nearly every down, Reinhardt scored the only touchdown of the third quarter when Dennis broke free for 64 yards midway through the quarter (7-49).
• The Eagles closed the game by scoring twice in the fourth quarter, the first touchdown came at the 6:14 mark when Caleb Faulkner broke loose for 46 yards, then Logue capped off a five-play, 87-yard drive with a powerful two-yard run into the end zone (7-62).

"We spent a lot of extra time on ball security in practice, so it's just disheartening. But that's part of the game. You have to get back at it and learn from these mistakes." - UPIKE head coach Allan Holland Jr.

BEAR FACTS

Willie McCloud's 64 yards on the ground are a career high, topping the 60 yard he put up in the opener at Bluefield…Despite the loss, UPIKE led the game in time of possession at 34 minutes to 26…UPIKE ran three more plays in the game (74-71)…Damir Karapandzic's eight punts tie the most he has attempted in a game.

UP NEXT

UPIKE returns to the road next Saturday, traveling to Cumberland in Lebanon, Tenn., for a 1:30 p.m. ET kickoff.

-UPIKE-