Jackson, MS. — North Carolina Wesleyan Football put together several big-play moments and entered halftime even with Belhaven before the Battling Bishops fell 35-21 Friday night at Belhaven Bowl Stadium. Wesleyan finished with 357 yards of total offense, including 307 through the air, as the Bishops continued to battle throughout the USA South matchup.
Belhaven took a 7-0 advantage late in the opening quarter, but North Carolina Wesleyan answered with an explosive play early in the second. Braden Selvage connected with Jimmie West III for a 70-yard touchdown with 9:31 remaining in the half, and Jorge Hernandez-Lara converted the extra point to pull the Bishops even at 7-7.
The Wesleyan defense then provided one of the biggest plays of the night. With less than a minute remaining before halftime, Devin Jones intercepted Matthew Dial and returned it 48 yards for a touchdown, giving the Bishops their first lead of the game at 14-7. Belhaven answered in the final seconds of the half, sending the teams into the break tied at 14-14.
North Carolina Wesleyan moved the football effectively throughout the third quarter and put together a pair of lengthy drives. After falling behind 21-14, the Bishops drove 72 yards on nine plays and reached the Belhaven five-yard line before coming away without points. Wesleyan finished the night with 20 first downs and converted seven of its 11 third-down opportunities.
Belhaven added two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to extend its advantage, but the Bishops continued to fight. Wesleyan responded with a 75-yard scoring drive late in the period, with Selvage finding West III for a 27-yard touchdown with 2:16 remaining. Hernandez-Lara's extra point brought the final margin to 35-21.
Selvage finished the night completing 19 of 29 passes for 307 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. West III turned in another standout performance, catching five passes for 156 yards and both Wesleyan touchdowns, highlighted by his 70-yard score in the second quarter.
Tyson Resper added six receptions for 87 yards, including a 37-yard catch, while Robert Wayne Trip III finished with two receptions for 28 yards. The Bishops averaged 16.2 yards per completion and finished with 307 passing yards on the night.
Defensively, Tyquan Richardson-Battle led North Carolina Wesleyan with nine tackles, while Derek Schemenauer and Mathias Winston each recorded six. The Bishops finished with seven tackles for loss and two sacks, with Breon Thompson recording a full sack and Schemenauer and Winston combining for another. Jones' 48-yard interception return provided Wesleyan's defensive touchdown.
North Carolina Wesleyan showed flashes on both sides of the football throughout the night, using a pair of long touchdown connections and a defensive score to battle Belhaven before the Blazers pulled away in the second half.
