Box Score
JACKSON, Miss. – The Louisiana College Wildcats fell behind early, rallied late, but came up short in the end against the Belhaven here Saturday night, falling 41-34 to the Blazers (2-0) in their season opener.

LC (0-1) struggled early, in all phases of the game, and was down early in the non-conference match, and trailed 17-0 by the 7:14 mark of the second quarter.

It looked like LC would be held scoreless in the first half, but a huge play by senior defensive back Jason McMillan (Church Point, La./Church Point HS), a player used as a utility fill-in at all of LC's secondary positions, forced and recovered a fumble inside the LC 30 after Belhaven's Justin Kenyon had hauled in a long reception.

The LC offense , more specifically Daron Bartholomew (Edgard, La./West St. John HS/Arkansas-Monticello), then took over.

Bartholomew first saved Ben McLaughlin (Dierks, Ark./Dierks HS/Henderson State) from a monster hit by de-cleating a would-be tackler on a keeper, then got LC into the red zone with three-straight power runs, dragging tacklers and even a few teammates along the way.

A few plays later, McLaughlin then hooked up with sophomore Cortland Bell (Oakdale, La./Oakdale HS) for the Wildcats' first touchdown of the season, a 15-yard touchdown pass on fourth and two.

The score sent LC into the half down 17-7.

The Bad news returned for LC early in the second half when Belhaven's Billy Hammer stripped tailback Chad Hindman (Slidell, La./Pope John Paul II HS) and took the ball 21 yards for a touchdown and a 24-7 lead for Belhaven.

The Wildcats would storm back, however, thanks to a fumble recovery by Nate Janzen (Pottsboro, Texas/Pottsboro HS), inside the Belhaven 10 that would set up a one-yard touchdown run by McLaughlin that cut the score to 24-13 and a 21-yard touchdown pass from McLaughlin to Hindman that brought LC to within 24-19 of the Blazers.

After a 26-yard field goal by Belhaven, the Wildcats would tie the score at 24 with a 25-yard touchdown pass from McLaughlin to Dayne Reeves (Longville, La./South Beauregard HS).

Belhaven answered with a 29-yard touchdown pass from Alex Williams to Dizer but LC again had a response, this time a 38-yard pass –and-catch for a score from McLaughlin to Jordan Rideaux (Carencro, La./Carencro HS).

The night was simply not the Wildcats', though, as Williams would find Dizer in the end zone from eight yards out with 34 seconds to play to give Belhaven the 41-34 decision.

McLaughlin, already LC's career leader in passing yards and touchdowns, put up 290 yards and four touchdowns on 28-for-49 passing. Unfortunately, he also tossed three interceptions.

Rideaux finished with five receptions and 69 yards on the game to lead the Wildcats receiving corps while CerDerrick Tyson (Shreveport, La./Evangel/Louisiana Tech), Bartholomew and Hindman combined for 152 rushing yards and one score on 24 carries.

Louisiana College's next game will take place at 6 p.m. on September 11 when the Wildcats host Huntingdon.