Running back Jeffrey Belaire ran all over the field on offense and defense during the sixth-grade Cougars’ 45-0 rout of the Gorillas on Sunday at Youth Sports Inc.

Belaire ran for a touchdown. He threw for a touchdown. He caught a pass for a touchdown. He returned an interception for a touchdown.

All in one game.

“Jeffrey is the man,” Cougars head coach Derrick Newman said.

“He’s the man playing with boys.”

Belaire started the game off quickly. On the first play of the game he took a handoff and scampered 50 yards down the right sideline for his first touchdown.

If allowing a touchdown on the first play of the game is bad, then things went from bad to worse as the Gorillas fumbled and lost possession on the ensuing kick off.

Belaire then took a short break from scoring as Cougars quarterback Calloway Schmidt and receiver Rydell Blann hooked up for a 40-yard touchdown pass.

It didn’t take long for Belaire to get back in on the action, though. Later in the first quarter he handed the ball off to Schmidt, who began to run up the middle. Schmidt slammed on the brakes and turned back toward Belaire.He then pitched the ball 7 yards in the backfield to Belaire, who glanced downfield and saw an open wide receiver, Jerome Miller. Belaire launched a 40-yard touchdown pass to Miller, who caught the ball in stride and strolled in for six points.

Cougars running back Mason Coleman chipped in with a 40-yard touchdown run of his own. Coleman’s score left the game at 26-0 with 5:11 still remaining in the first quarter.

The sixth grade Cougars defense, left, stops the Gorillas offense on the last play of the game to preserve a 45-0 shutout Sunday at Youth Sports Inc.

Belaire wasn’t satisfied with a 26-point lead in the first quarter, so Xavier Newman threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to Belaire as time ran out in the quarter.

Newman was pleased with his team’s performance against the Gorillas.

“Today’s game was awesome,” Newman said. “I loved it- we had a great score and I just loved it.”

The first half ended with Belaire throwing another touchdown pass, again to Miller. The Cougars led 39-0 at halftime.

Belaire capped off his day with a second-half interception that he returned 90 yards for a touchdown. He ended up being involved in five of the seven touchdowns for the Cougars.

Belaire didn’t seem to be impressed with his performance.

“My favorite part of today’s game was our teamwork,” Belaire said. “Everybody did their job and did exactly what the coaches wanted them to do.”

The Cougars showed off their defensive teamwork by posting a shutout. Defensive end Kyle Hall helped slow down the Gorilla offense. Miller came up big on defense as well, busting through the

Gorillas’ offensive line to make tackles.