Photo: Belmont High Senior Brian Logan in the clear scoring his second TD reception in Belmont’s 37-7 victory over Lexington

Three touchdowns in the first eight minutes by the offense coupled with a second strong performance by the its defense culminated in one of the most complete victories in head coach Brian McCray’s tenure as Belmont High football dismissed Lexington High, 36-7, under the Friday Night Lights at Harris Field on Oct. 6.

The victory sends Belmont top of the Middlesex League Liberty Divison table at 2-0, 3-2 overall, with a Saturday, Oct. 14 encounter with Arlington. Kickoff will be at noon.

The first quarter couldn’t have been a dream start for the Marauders as it recovered the squib kickoff that eluded the Minutemen return team. On the second play co-captains connected as senior QB Jayden Arno dropped the ball to fellow senior Brian Logan on a sideline route to give Belmont a 7-0 lead after a mere 36 seconds.

On the Minuteman’s first offensive play, sophomore defensive back Casey Regan intercepted Lexington QB Adam O’Shaughnessy to give Belmont the ball on Lexington’s 38-yard line. On the next play, Belmont senior running back Adrien Gurung took the ball up the gut and didn’t stop until he crossed into the end zone for the Marauders’ second TD in the opening minute. An Arno to senior Max Corneilus two-point conversion upped the lead to 15-0.

After the Marauder defense stifled the Lexington offense to a three and out, Belmont took over near its goal line. Returning to a strategy of grinding out yards that wore down Winchester in its previous game, Belmont took six minutes off the clock with its running attack highlighted by an Arno to Logan 15 yard pass deep in Belmont territory. And it would be through the air that produced the Marauders’ third touchdown of the quarter as Arno once again found Logan on a slant in the middle of the field that allowed the big receiver to stride 46 yards into the end zone to give Belmont’s a 22-0 advantage with 3:27 left in the first.

Lexington’s offensive highlight of the night came on their next possession as RB William Marcin took a swing pass from O’Shaughnessy, turned the corner and waived goodbye for a 65 yard TD.

But Belmont would go on its second long drive of the half ending with Gurung’s four yard burst off the right side of the line for the touchdown that gave Belmont a 29-7 half time lead. The single high point of the second half came in the fourth quarter where Arno’s scrambled 36 yard for his longest ground gain of the night and the touchdown that provided the 36-7 final.