Blake Hulsey threw for four touchdowns in the first quarter to key Union’s 46-21 rout of St. James Friday at Stierberger Stadium.
Union improved to 4-4 overall and 3-2 in the Four Rivers Conference with the victory while the Tigers fell to 3-5, 1-4.
The game wasn’t nearly as close as the final score indicated. Union scored the first 46 points before rotating in younger players during most of the second half. All three St. James touchdowns came against the Union reserves.
Hulsey had a part in all six Union touchdowns in the first half as the Wildcats dominated action while building up a 40-0 advantage.
Union’s receivers did a strong job to get open behind the St. James defense and Hulsey took advantage.
John Prosser intercepted a Dusty Snelson pass to set up the first score, a 12-yard pass from Hulsey to Jacob Carman. Logan Bellamy ran for the two-point conversion to put Union ahead, 8-0, with 9:53 left in the opening quarter.
Jake Siddens got in on the scoring, catching a 54-yard touchdown pass with 5:46 left in the quarter. The extra-point kick failed and Union led 14-0.
Carman scored again on a 35-yard touchdown pass with 3:04 remaining in the quarter. The two-point conversion run failed and it was 20-0.
Bellamy scored on a 29-yard pass from Hulsey with 36 seconds to play in the quarter. The two-point conversion attempt failed and Union led 26-0 after one quarter.
The Wildcats continued the domination in the second quarter. Hulsey scored on a one-yard run with 9:07 left in the half. The two-point conversion run failed and Union led 32-0.
Carman scored his third touchdown with 4:28 to play in the half on a one-yard pass from Hulsey. It was Hulsey’s fifth touchdown pass of the half. Carman ran for the two-point conversion to make it 40-0 at the intermission.
Union kept the St. James drives short for the most part. Bellamy intercepted two Snelson passes and the Wildcats had three first-half picks.
Union extended its lead in the third quarter when Cody Pace, one of Union’s four seniors, grabbed a blocked pass and returned it 26 yards for a touchdown with 9:05 left in the quarter. The extra-point kick failed and Union led 46-0.
St. James found its stride against Union’s reserves. Dusty Snelson found Levi Witt for a nine-yard touchdown pass with 2:15 to play in the quarter. Mason Ragland’s extra-point kick got an assist from a deflection off the line to make it 46-7.
Snelson scored on a 21-yard run with 8:40 to play and Ragland hit the extra-point kick to stop the running clock as Union’s lead was cut to 46-14.
Another long Snelson run set up Gage Melton’s one-yard touchdown with 2:38 to play. Ragland’s kick made the final score 46-21.
Box Score
STJ 0-0-7-14=21
UNI 26-14-6-0=46
First Quarter
UNI - Jacob Carman 12 pass from Blake Hulsey (Logan Bellamy run), 9:53
UNI - Jake Siddens 54 pass from Hulsey (kick failed), 5:46
UNI - Carman 35 pass from Hulsey (run failed), 3:04
UNI - Logan Bellamy 29 pass from Hulsey (run failed), 0:36
Second Quarter
UNI - Hulsey 1 run (run failed), 9:07
UNI - Carman 1 pass from Hulsey (Carman run), 4:28
Third Quarter
UNI - Cody Pace 26 interception return (kick failed) 9:05
STJ - Levi Witt 9 pass from Dusty Snelson (Mason Ragland kick), 2:15
Fourth Quarter
STJ - Snelson 21 run (Ragland kick), 8:40
STJ - Gage Melton 1 run (Ragland kick), 2:38
