BELMONT – For Booneville coach Jim Drewry, career victory No. 343 was special, but he enjoyed season win No. 10 even more.

Drewry’s Blue Devils exploded in the second half to smack Belmont 30-7 Saturday in a Division 1-3A game and finish the regular season with a perfect 10-0 record.

“This biggest thing today was that we won the ballgame,” said Drewry, who is in his 50th season on the sidelines. “This was good for the kids.”

Drewry’s win tied him with former Noxubee County, North Panola and Strider Academy coach Joe Bradshaw for most career victories – public and private – in the state. Drewry’s career record, which includes stops at Kossuth and Tishomingo, is now 343-156-5.

Booneville will host a playoff game Friday in the opening round, while Belmont, which finished 7-3 overall, will travel in the first round as a No. 4 seed.

Drewry watched his team struggle in the first half, missing four opportunities to score when drives failed on downs and also on an interception inside the Cardinals’ 30-yard line.

“We played a big game last week against Corinth,” the coach said. “It was hard to get these guys up to play a good Belmont team.”

Welch juices it up

The Blue Devils, who held a 9-7 halftime lead, busted the game open on the third play of the third quarter when Tre Welch caught a pass from Jeiron Jones and raced 89 yards for a score.

“It was an 8 fly straight,” said Welch, a junior, of the TD call. “Coach Drewry had told us to get our heads up and get in the game.

“That touchdown got us going, got the momentum going ... got us pumped up.”

Welch’s TD gave Booneville a 16-7 lead after Tyler White’s extra point.

“That broke it open,” Drewry said. “It’s what we had to have. Tre had a super game.”

Welch had two touchdown receptions and two pass interceptions for the Devils. His second TD grab was a 16-yard grab from Jones that gave Booneville its 30-7 lead in the fourth quarter.

Brendon Pannell’s 48-yard run in the first quarter gave the Blue Devils a 9-0 lead. Earlier in the quarter, Cantrell Hastings tackled Belmont quarterback Kase Smith for a safety.

Belmont cut the lead to 9-7 on Smith’s 61-yard pass to Cody Sartain with 10 minutes, 15 seconds left in the first half.

In between Welch’s TDs, running back Bo Brown scored on a 1-yard dive midway in the third quarter for the Blue Devils.

“We’re 10-0 now and it’s time for the playoffs,” Welch said.