After three tough losses in a row, Baylor's football team returned to the win column in emphatic fashion Friday night at Heywood Stadium.
The Red Raiders used a blistering first half to help thump the Pope John Paul II Knights 42-14.
"The last three weeks haven't gone like we wanted, so it was important for us to come out and play four quarters," Baylor coach Phillip Massey said. "We felt like we hadn't done that all year, and I was happy we started the game fast. That was a great win against a tough opponent that came in here and upset us last year."
Baylor (2-3, 1-1 Division II-AAA East/Middle Region) left no room for thoughts of another upset by the Knights (3-2, 1-2). The Red Raiders led 42-0 at halftime, by which time they had 400 yards of total offense.
Brendon Harris started the engine with a 58-yard touchdown run on the opening possession. Lorenzo White added a 22-yard pass to Jaylon Baker and a 12-yard run, and it was 21-0 by the second quarter.
"They were playing a lot of man coverage, and we took advantage of it," Massey said. "They kept putting eight in the box and forced us to throw the ball. We don't naturally throw the ball that often, especially early. Offensively, we took what they gave us."
White added another long touchdown pass to start the second quarter, connecting with Baker for 33 yards. Mike Benning had a 9-yard scoring run, and Harris returned to the end zone with an 11-yard run to put a bow on the half.
A mercy-rule running clock ensured a quick second half - the third quarter zipped by with no score - but the Knights showed signs of life in the final quarter and denied the Red Raiders a shutout. Ben Nixon found Nicholas Pracht for a 29-yard score with 11:35 to play, and Sawyer Watts hit Garrett Goodwin for a 20-yard touchdown with seven seconds remaining.
"We had some backups in there at the end," Massey said. "It would have been big for our defense to get the shutout, but they still got a lot of confidence tonight. Hopefully, this is something they continue to build on."
Baylor playmakers Baker, Harris and White took a seat in the second half but had already left their marks. White finished 8-of-15 for 237 passing yards with three completions to Baker for 87 yards. Harris had 82 yards on just four carries.