PIKEVILLE, Ky. -- Willie McCloud and Xondre Willis ran for 145 and 122 yards each, but it wasn't enough to outdo a dominant passing performance from Point's (Ga.) Derek Bellard who led his team to a 34-31 comeback win over the University of Pikeville on Saturday.

Bellard completed 21-of-27 passes for 396 yards and three touchdowns, hooking up with Charles Ducksworth five times for 135 yards and two of the scores. That combo's 25-yard touchdown with 5:24 left got the Skyhawks within four at 31-27 before Marques Johnson ran for the go-ahead score at 2:18 from 13-yards out.

It was a 13-0 sprint to the lead for Point (2-4, 1-1 MSC Appalachian) in the fourth quarter of a game that started much differently. After Johnson's short burst for a touchdown midway through the second quarter, Point had a 21-7 lead. But over the next 6:39, UPIKE (3-3, 1-1 MSC Appalachian) came all the way back to tie the game at halftime.

The comeback started with Sani Warren throwing 36 yards to Arites Clark and ended with Warren manufacturing a 13-play, 80-yard drive following a missed Skyhawk field goal. There were three pass interference penalties called against Point during the drive before Warren finally tied the score on a two-yard keeper.

UPIKE took its first lead on the first drive of the second half when William Chandler made a 21-yard field goal. After forcing a Point punt, McCloud ended the next series with a 40-yard scamper into the end zone to make it a 10-point game.

But that's where the scoring stopped for the Bears as their next four drives ended on two punts, a fumble and a turnover on downs on 4th and 1 when Warren's keeper was stopped short. UPIKE tried to get the ball back in the final minute, but Point picked up a first down and there were no timeouts left to stop the clock.

Bellard may have foreshadowed what was to come when on the first play of the game he connected with Ducksworth for a 58-yard touchdown. Jackson was his biggest help on the ground, picking up 68 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries and Chase Turner caught a game-high six passes for 93 yards.

Warren completed just 9-of-27 passes for 102 yards and a touchdown as three different receivers caught two passes.

Point outgained the Bears 486-381 in total offense, including a 396-102 advantage through the air. UPIKE rushed for 279 yards, compared to 90 for the Skyhawks as McCloud rushed for more than 100 yards in a second straight game.

Taeron Brown was a bright spot for UPIKE defensively with 11 tackles and La'Bon Fisher and Camron Parsley were both able to sack Bellard. Three of Fisher's seven tackles were registered for a loss.

UP NEXT

UPIKE starts two straight weeks of road games at 7 p.m. ET next Saturday at Cumberlands in Williamsburg.

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