WILLIAMSBURG, Ky.--25th-ranked Cumberland trailed at the half, but the Phoenix came out and played a dominant second half to run away with a 49-25 win over the Patriots at James H. Taylor, II Stadium on Saturday night.

Cumberland (6-2, 2-2 MSC) came out fast scoring two touchdowns in the first quarter. The Patriots answered in the second to go up 15-14, but the second half was all Phoenix as they pulled away with the win. 

Offensively, the Phoenix collected 352 yards rushing for 209 yards and throwing for 143 yards. Luke Holloway and Jeremiah Bryant accounted for all of Cumberland's seven touchdowns. Holloway completed 7-for-14 passing for 143 yards and one touchdown. He also ran for 126 yards and three scores with touchdown runs of 65, 42, and three. Bryant ran for three touchdowns in the game and caught a 29-yard touchdown pass. Jarrius Rogers was the leading receiver catching three passes for 84 yards. 

Defensively, Cumberland was sound tonight. The Phoenix forced four turnovers tonight that played big into the game. Kion Threalkill was great at cornerback tonight intercepting two passes with a pass break up and five tackles. Joey Samples forced a fumble and recovered it. Derek Taylor and Boston Follis led the team in tackles with eight tonight. 

The Patriots used two quarterbacks tonight as the starter Gregg went 7-for-15 for 60 yards and two interceptions. Trayce Thompson completed 9-of-20 passes for 101 yards and ran for a touchdown. JB Carlisle ran for 58 yards and one touchdown on 17 carries. 

The Phoenix started this game first scoring 14 points in the first quarter. Cumberland received the opening kick and moved the chains a time before punting the ball to the Patriots. The Cumberlands took the ball inside Phoenix territory and sputtered with the CU defense getting a big fourth down stop. The very next play for the Phoenix, Holloway got loose for a 65-yard touchdown rush for a 7-0 lead with 7:34 left in the first. 

The Patriots went three-and-out and punted the ball back to Cumberland. Holloway completed a big third down and long pass to Kaiden Hatchett to move the chains and then again got outside for a 42-yard touchdown rush and a 14-0 lead with 3:27 left. 

The next play on offense for the Patriots, Kion Threalkill intercepted a pass and took it all the way back for a touchdown, but a flag on the Phoenix on the return gave Cumberland the ball at midfield. The Patriots stood strong and got some momentum back with a stop. 

The second quarter was controlled by the Patriots as they got right back into the game. The Cumberlands drive stalled around their own 40 when the Pats rolled the dice and converted a fake punt to extend the drive. The Cumberlands ended up going down the field to score a touchdown on a three-yard rush from JB Carlisle. The drive took 19-plays and over 10 minutes of clock off the quarter. 

Cumberland stalled on their next drive and the Patriots blocked a punt to take over at the Cumberland 32-yard line. The Patriots used a trick play as quarterback Gregg threw a pass to wide receiver DK Edwards. Edwards turned and threw it back to Gregg for an 18-yard score. The Patriots went for two and converted for a 15-14 lead at the half. 

The Patriots started the second half with the ball and went down and scored three points on a 40-yard field goal from Job Motossian. From that point on, it was all Phoenix. 

Holloway completed a 52-yard pass to Jarrius Rogers to get the drive started and two plays later he threw a 29-yard touchdown to Bryant to regain the lead at 21-18. Two plays later for the Patriots on offense, Joey Samples forced a fumble and recovered it to set up the Phoenix. Bryant punched in a one-yard touchdown to increase the lead 28-18 with 6:17 left. 

After a pair of quick drives by both sides, Threalkill picked off his second pass of the game returning this one all the way to the one-yard line. Bryant again punched in the score to increase the lead to 35-18 at the end of the third quarter. 

In the fourth quarter, Holloway punched in one more touchdown and Bryant ran in his fourth score of the day to push the score all the way out to 49-18. The Patriots scored a touchdown with three seconds left to make the final 49-25. 

The Phoenix will have another big game next week as the Phoenix host Lindsey Wilson at Nokes-Lasater on Saturday. Cumberland will honor their seniors before kick-off for Senior Day festivities.