PIKEVILLE, Ky. – Rewriting the record book seems to be a weekly event for the University of Pikeville football team. Doing so on the ground, however, is something new for Coach Corey Fipps' team.
 
Freshman tailback Amon Williams set new school and AAC records for rushing yards and touchdowns in a game to lead the Bears to a 48-34 win over Bluefield (Va.) University on Saturday night at the W.C. Hambley Athletics Complex.
 
Williams, a 5-11, 185-pound freshman from Cumming, Ga., rushed 39 times for 380 yards and four touchdowns while also catching a five-yard touchdown pass.
 
The rushing yards are a new school record, and the rushing touchdowns tied the school record that was set by hall of famer Leonard Moore against U.Va.-Wise in 2004 and matched by Seth Millar at Morehead State in 2014.
 
His 39 carries equals Moore's school mark that he established in 2004 against Belhaven.
 
The rushing yards, rushing touchdowns and five total touchdowns are all new conference records.
 
Also, UPike's total rushing yards of 444 yards smashes the old school record, which was 394, which the Bears set in 2017 against Union.
 
Most importantly, the win made the Bears 4-0 in league play and leaves them alone atop the standings, as Bluefield fell to 2-1 in the conference.
 
The Bears wasted no time taking the lead as senior tailback Tyrese Christian finished a seven-play, 69-yard drive by going the final 21 into the end zone for a 6-0 lead with 10:24 to play in the opening period. The PAT, however, failed.
 
The Rams wound up tying the game on a pair of field goals by talented senior kicker Riley Stubbs. The first covered 42 yards, while the second was 19, and it tied the game with 1:40 to play in the opening quarter.
 
In the second period, the offense featured freshman running back Amon Williams. He had consecutive scoring runs covering 11 and then 77 yards. Two Austan Shuffler kicks made the score 20-6 with 10:41 left in the half.
 
On the next possession, the Bears put together a methodical 14-play, 97-yard drive that ended with a one-yard keeper by Kirkland that took 5:12 off the clock.
 
Bluefield put up one more first-half score when Nathan Herstich hit Gio Burns for a 12-yard touchdown with 1:06 left in the half.
 
UPike came out firing in the second half, taking 10 plays to cover the 68 yards to open the half with a touchdown that came when Kirkland hit Amon Williams for the final five yards.
 
An interception by freshman linebacker Trevor Carter gave the Bears a short field at the Ram 30. Seven plays later, Williams charged through the line for the final 19 yards and the score with 7:13 left in the third quarter.
 
Shuffler's kick made the score 41-13.
 
With 1:16 left in the third, Herstich threw his second touchdown pass of the game, connecting with Connor Padgett for the final 10 yards. Stubbs' kick cut the UPike lead to 41-20.
 
Early in the fourth, Williams scored for the fifth time, the fourth on the ground, scoring from eight yards out to make it 48-20.
 
The Rams needed only 2:22 to answer, coming on a 16-yard pass from Herstich to Burns. On their next possession, Herstich hit Jordan Edwards from 32 yards out to make it 48-34 with 4:50 left.
 
In addition to the rushing totals, the Bears had success in the air as well. Kirkland finished 24-for-33 in the air for 160 yards and the touchdown.
 
Christian had 50 yards on 11 carries and a score.
 
Herstich was impressive in the air for the Rams, completing 29 passes on 42 attempts for 283 yards and four scores. Burns was his favorite target, catching six for 89 yards and two scores.
 
Freshman Rayjuan Traynham led Bluefield on the ground, gaining 64 yards on nine carries.
 
Junior Chuck Moore led the Bears on defense, finishing with 10 tackles, five of them solos. Freshman Clayton Hutto had eight tackles and an interception. Carter had seven tackles and his own interception.
 
UPike will be back in action on Saturday, November 2, visiting Point (Ga.) University at 3 p.m.