Point Football Wins Season Finale at Bluefield, 14-9

BLUEFIELD, W.V. – Point University (3-8; 2-4 MSC) won its 2018 football season finale at Bluefield College (4-7; 1-4 MSC) by a score of 14-9 in Nov. 10 Mid-South Conference Appalachian Division action in Mitchell Stadium in Bluefield, West Virginia. The Skyhawks ended the season with two wins in its last three games and recorded three victories this season. Point's defense intercepted three passes, two by sophomore free safety Isaiah McFarland (Ellenwood, GA), and recovered two fumbles and registered six sacks and allowed 252 total offensive yards, while the offense lost two fumbles and an interception and gained 245 total offensive yards.

Point lighted the scoreboard first with 7:46 left in the first quarter when senior quarterback Derek Bellard connected on a seven-yard touchdown pass with junior receiver MarQuez Jackson (Lawrenceville, GA), who led Point with 15 receptions for 330 yards and two touchdowns this season, including three catches for 57 yards against the Rams. Point drove 37 yards on five plays, helped by a 31-yard pass from Bellard to Jackson that took the ball to the two-yard line.

Bluefield took the ball at its own 35 after the kick-off and on first down, McFarland picked off his sixth interception of the season at the Point 49. After Point's punt, Bluefield ran three plays and punted, and gave the ball back to Point at the 36-yard line, but Point lost a fumble at the Point 47. Again Point's defense came up with an important interception, the first of the season by junior cornerback Kendall Hillman (Jonesboro, GA), at the Point 35 with 2:11 left in the first quarter.

An interception, the second of the game and seventh of the season by McFarland, also ended a scoreless second quarter. McFarland led Point this season with 59 tackles, three vs. Bluefield, a school record seven interceptions, four forced fumbles and six pass break-ups. McFarland ranks number two in the NAIA in interceptions and third in forced fumbles.

Bluefield kicker Tanner Griffith kicked a 41-yard field goal with 7:15 left in the third quarter, cutting Point's lead to 7-3, but the Skyhawks answered back on its first drive of the fourth quarter after a 33-yard punt from the Bluefield one gave the ball to Point at the 34-yard line. Bellard covered 19 yards with a pass to Jackson, who reached the 16-yard line. Sophomore running back Kolby Williams (Clayton County, GA) carried the ball for six yards to the Rams' 10 and scored on the next play from 10 yards out. Junior Wesley Rubiera (Saundersville, GA) nailed his second point-after touchdown of the afternoon and gave Point a 14-3 lead.

Rubiera tied for the NAIA lead in PAT percentage (1.000) this season, hitting 14-of-14, and also made seven of 11 field goals. He is tied for second in the Point records with 27 PAT in 20 games and ranks second with nine field goals in 15 attempts and fourth with 31 career PAT attempts.

The teams exchanged punts after the next two drives, and Bluefield took the ball over at the Point 48 with 5:06 remaining. Quarterback Cason Whitt picked up 24 yards on a pass play to Antonio Strickland and after a six-yard sack on first down, Whitt completed a 27-yard touchdown pass to Lowell Patron, Jr. Point blocked the PAT attempt, and kept the score at 14-9 with less than four minutes remaining. MarQuez Jackson returned the ensuing kick-off to the Point 45, but Point lost four yards on two rushes and threw an incomplete pass on third down and got off a short punt that rolled out of bounds at the Bluefield 42.

Two passes fell incomplete, and the Rams were assessed a holding penalty that took the ball back to the Rams' 32. Whitt and Strickland connected again for 51 yards up to the Point 17, but the next four passes fell incomplete, and Bluefield turned the ball over to Point on downs.

Williams led all rushers with 20 carries for 75 yards and one touchdown, and Point netted 65 yards on the ground on 40 carries. Bellard completed 12 of 26 passes for 180 yards and one touchdown and one interception, and finished his career ranked second with 3673 career passing yards; 28 touchdown passes; 229 pass completions and 514 passing attempts in 28 career games from 2016-18. He also ranks third with eight rushing touchdowns and seventh with 419 career rushing yards.

Defensively, Point moved into the top 25 in the NAIA with six sacks against Bluefield and 32 for the season. Point's sacks leader with nine, senior defensive end Kreg Jenkins (Lithia Springs, GA) recovered a fumble against Bluefield. Sophomore linebacker Emadre Brown (Douglas, GA) added six tackles and had one sack, and sophomore nose guard Jordan Bell (Jacksonville, FL) had six tackles. Freshman defensive tackle Warren Breakfield (Albany, GA) added six tackles and 1.5 sacks. Hillman made five tackles and intercepted a pass, and junior linebacker Trenton Stringer (Lanett, AL) made four tackles and had a sack and a fumble recovery.