UPIKE Athletics

It was a record-breaking day for a running back and a standout day for the defense as the University of Pikeville knocked off Bethel (Tenn.) University 31-7 on Saturday afternoon at the Hambley Athletics Complex.
 
The defensive unit limited the Wildcats to only 27 rushing yards on 19 attempts on the day, while the offense rushed for 221 yards.
 
UPike is now 3-2 on the season heading into conference play, which begins in two weeks when they travel to Rio Grande (Ohio).
 
Bethel is now 1-3 on the campaign.
 
The Bears got on the scoreboard on their second play from scrimmage when Henson found pay dirt from 14 yards out. It ended a two-play, 17-yard drive and Isaac Smith's kick made the score 7-0.
 
It reached 14-0 when Henson kept from a yard out. This time was seven plays and 70 yards, and Smith's kick came with 2:09 left in the first period.
 
Bethel wasted no time getting downfield and into the end zone. Sophomore quarterback Jaylan Brown connected with junior wide receiver Stephon Sellers from 42 yards ou with only 40 seconds left in the third.
 
Sophomore Zach Clutch kicked the extra point to cut the lead in half at 14-7.
 
The only points of the second quarter went on the home side of the scoreboard. Freshman running back Jayden Pepper covered the final three yards of a 56-yard drive, giving the Bears a 21-7 lead with 3:39 to play, and that's the score the team's took to the half.
 
The third quarter saw the Bears stretch the lead thanks to Smith, who nailed a 33-yard field goal with 7:21 to play. That made the lead 24-7.
 
The next points moved junior tailback Amon Williams to the top of the list in the UPike football record book. He scored from two yards out, giving him 192 career points, passing former receiver Jordan Amis to become the all-time leading scorer.
 
It was his 32^nd touchdown, which is also a record, and gave him 27 rushing touchdowns, tying him with Seth Millar for second on the school's lifetime list. He's only three rushing touchdowns from the record, currently held by Bears' hall of famer Leonard Moore.
 
Smith's kick made it 31-7 with 8:02 remaining.
 
Henson finished 17 for 26 in the air for 152 yards. His favorite target was Pepper, who caught five passes out of the backfield for 48 yards.
 
The rushing game was also led by Pepper, who finished with 91 yards on 14 tries and a touchdown. Henson followed with 83 yards and two scores, while Williams had 47 yards and one.
 
Junior linebacker Levi Evans led the defense with six tackles, four of them solos and two for loss. Senior linebacker Chuck Moore and freshman cornerback Jamere Biggs followed with four each.