Ben Reynolds may have started his Veritas Christian football career without fanfare, but the senior tailback bowed out with a bang.

Reynolds scored five touchdowns as the Eagles buried overmatched Belton (Mo.) Heartland, 46-0, in their home finale Friday night at the Youth Sports Inc. fields.

The game ended after two quarters under the state’s eight-man mercy rule.

“I’ll remember this one,” said Reynolds, who carried the ball 12 times for 132 yards. “I wanted to win on Senior Night.”

Reynolds and lineman Jacob Hain, who didn’t suit Friday night because of the flu, were the only two seniors who have been with the Veritas football program since it began six years ago.

“I’m very proud to be a charter member,” Reynolds said. “I never dreamed that when I was in the seventh grade we’d be in the state playoffs every year.”

Veritas Christian added high school football three years ago and has been in the Kansas Christian Athletic Assn. playoffs every year. The Eagles (5-4) will travel to Topeka Cair Paravel on Tuesday for their first-round KCAA game.

With that playoff contest only four days away, the Eagles easily could have overlooked Heartland, winless in its first season with a football program, but they showed up with their helmets strapped.

“It’s still football,” Bennett said, “and these guys love the game.”

At the same time, Bennett was happy the Eagles had to play only 24 minutes of football instead of 48.

“I really think it was good because we don’t have a lot of players,” he said. “I mean, we don’t have a second team, so there’s always a risk of injury.”

Bennett used all 13 players in uniform.

Reynolds also contributed a key defensive play when he blocked a punt late in the first quarter. Moments later, little brother Jacob Reynolds, a ninth-grader, rolled 10 yards around left end for the Eagles’ third touchdown.

Thus all six Veritas TDs were recorded by the Reynolds family.

Ben scored on runs of 31, 18, eight, six and two yards. The Eagles threw only four passes and completed just one. Meanwhile, the Veritas defense held the undermanned Mustangs – they had only 10 players suited – to just 30 yards of offense.

Quarterback Ben Balman, who had been nursing an ankle injury, rushed for 75 yards on six carries. Josh Masrud replaced him midway through the second quarter.

Linebacker Michael Kay and Masrud each had an interception.

Veritas 46, Belton (Mo.) Heartland 0

Heartland 0 0 – 0

Veritas 22 24 – 46

Veritas – Ben Reynolds 8 run. Ben Balman run.

Veritas – B. Reynolds 2 run. Run failed.

Veritas – Jacob Reynolds 10 run. Balman run.

Veritas – B. Reynolds 6 run. Craig Bell pass from Balman.

Veritas – B. Reynolds 18 run. Josh Masrud run.

Veritas – B. Reynolds 31 run. Masrud run.

Veritas Individual Statistics

Rushing – Ben Reynolds 12-132, Ben Balman 6-75, Michael Kay 5-37, Jacob Reynolds 2-19, Hogan Randall 3-11, Isaiah Dover 1-5.

Passing – Balman 0-2-0 (one intercepted), Masrud 1-2-17.

Pass receiving – J. Reynolds 1-17.