Photo/KRISTIN MAZGAJ HARRISON CENTRAL’S Trevor Carman runs up the sideline as Bellaire freshman Ray Ray Pettigrew gives chase during the first quarter of Friday’s game at Wagner Field.

CADIZ — A trio of clutch defensive plays coupled with a dominant performance by Cole Porter all added up to a prolific second half for Bellaire on Friday night and a 27-19 victory against Harrison Central in the Buckeye 8 grid opener for both squads at muggy Wagner Field.

The Huskies were driving for possibly the tying TD with a little more than a minute left when the Big Reds collapsed on quarterback Kobe Mitchell in the pocket on 2nd-and-10 at the Bellaire 23. A hit on the junior quarterback jarred the ball loose and Bellaire’s Connor Rosen scooped up the ball to seal the Big Reds’ second victory of the season.

“We did play pretty good defense,” Bellaire head coach Mark Spigarelli. “That’s a testament to the seniors you have out there playing. They did a heckuva job getting the turnover at the end because it was awfully scary.”

After forcing the Big Reds (2-1) into a four-and-out, the Huskies (0-3) set up shop at their own 21 with 2:25 left. Mitchell quickly got his team into Bellaire territory thanks to back-to-back strikes of nine yards to Jonathan Vermillion and Trevor Carman, along with a 16-yard bullet over the middle to Clayton Nunez.

Later, on 3rd-and-5 at the 35, Mitchell, who finished with 234 yards passing, connected with Carman, this time for nine more yards, as Harrison Central reached the 23 with a little more than 60 ticks showing on the clock. But two plays later, the Huskies’ hopes ended on the team’s second turnover of the night.

“Our kids played their rear ends off,” Harrison Central head coach Anthony Hayes said. “We’ve showed a little bit of growth every week, but (Friday) we showed growth and heart.

“That’s a really good team. I’m really proud of my guys.”

Bellaire put things in the hands of its ground game in the second half. After its passing game yielded just 30 yards on 11 attempts during the first 24 minutes, Spigarelli only passed the ball once in the final two quarters.

The strategy worked.

After a Harrison Central punt went just six yards to conclude the opening drive of the third quarter, the Big Reds had the ball at the Huskies’ 38. There, Spigarelli turned to Porter.

The senior obliged, carrying the ball four straight times, the final one going for eight yards and a score that broke a 13-13 tie. His extra point made the score 20-13 with 8:49 left in the third.

Early in the fourth, the Huskies reached midfield only to have Bellaire thwart the drive by almost picking off a Mitchell pass on second down, then knocking the ball out on the next play which forced a punt.

Porter galloped 66 yards on the first play of Bellaire’s ensuing drive, making the score 27-13 with 7:49 left. He finished with 172 yards rushing, 118 of which came in the second half.

“He’s a heckuva player,” Hayes said. “He’s one of the best in the valley, hands down.”

The Huskies trimmed the deficit to eight on its next drive — marching 65 yards on nine plays, the final one a 31-yard jaunt by Cale McAfee. He finished with 81 yards and two scores.

But Harrison Central got no closer as Bellaire stood tall when it had to and atoned for last week’s one-point loss to Garaway.

“I’m glad we got the win,” Spigarelli said. “But this is the ugliest win in the four years I’ve been here. I’m not satisfied. Not satisfied.

“I’m not really pleased with our effort. Just because we have a lot of guys back from last year everybody thinks we just have to show up and play. It’s not the coaching, it’s the players that’s not doing their job.

“I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. Anthony and his staff do a super job.”