Mistakes pile up for Eagles at Columbia

COLUMBIA -- Mental mistakes, penalties and turnovers hampered Shelbyville Central for the second straight week Friday night as they lost their second game in a row after opening the season with three wins.

The Golden Eagles fell 47-13 to Columbia as the Lions showed why they're ranked seventh in the Associated Press Class 5A poll.

Shelbyville started 3-0 but over the past two weeks those mental mistakes, penalties and costly turnovers seem to be the theme to the Eagles' play.

After the first two games of the season the Eagles were plus nine in turnovers. Now, midway through the 10-game season, Shelbyville is plus one.

The Eagles were penalized six times for 70 yards against the Lions, including four personal fouls in the first half.

Through five games Shelbyville has been flagged 43 times totaling 350 yards.

"We've got to get more focused and cut down on our penalties and turnovers are always a key to every football game," Shelbyville coach Jason Hardy said. "We've got to get back on track and that all starts with ourselves. We've also got to go back to the drawing board as coaches and see how we can communicate better with our players to help them understand what we're talking about."

Columbia struck first off a 33-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Eric Belew to Tyree Scribner at the 9:44 mark of the first quarter.

Chris Harris connected on the point after for the 7-0 lead.

The Eagles evened the score with a eight-play drive capped off by a 19-yard run by quarterback Tre Stewart with 1`:26 left in the opening period.

Angel Jarquin's kick tied the game at 7-all.

Belew raced 23 yards on a quarterback keeper with no time left in the first quarter and Harris' kick gave the Lions a 14-7 advantage at the end of the first.

Columbia tacked on the more touchdowns in the second quarter, including two in the final two minutes.

Tra'Darious Goff scored off a 19-yard run, Chris Landwehr hauled in a 23-yard pass from quarterback Haden Tate and Scribner closed out the half with a 17-yard TD pass from Tate.

Harris converted two of the three extra points to give Columbia a 34-7 lead at the end of the first half.

"Those two touchdowns at the end of the second quarter really hurt and might have been the difference in the game," Hardy said.

The Lions added a pair of touchdowns in the third quarter, a 27-yard run by Geronn Moore and a 5-yard Goff run.

Shelbyville added a touchdown late in the fourth quarter when freshman Marquis Morton scored on a 1-yard run.

Morton was the workhorse on that drive with seven carries for 30 yards.

"Marquis is going to be something special," Hardy said. "He really runs hard and does a great job of running downhill. I was proud to see the effort we had at the end of the game to get that touchdown."

Shelbyville hits the road for the third straight week Friday night at Marshall County in a non-district matchup at 7.

Injury update: Seniors Will Trice and Tre Stewart were injured during the game.

Trice suffered a neck sprain and was carted off and taken to a hospital. He was later released and should be fine, Hardy said.

Stewart has a sprained right hand and will wear a brace for a couple of days.

Columbia senior standout receiver Bryant Belew, son of Lion coach Vance Belew, passed out on the field during the game due to what Hardy said was an apparent hydration issue. Belew, who did not return to the game, already has offers from UT-Chattanooga and UT-Martin and is being recruited by other Division I schools.