Blacksburg running back Chase Hames attempts to elude a Dixie defensive player in Friday's 20-14 loss. DUE WEST — Missed opportunities came back to haunt Blacksburg Friday night in a 20-14 loss on Dixie’s homecoming.

Dixie rallied from a 14-point first half deficit to score the go-ahead touchdown on a 1- yard run by Ty Hawthorne with four minutes left in the third quarter. Dixie celebrated its homecoming by snapping an 11-game losing streak with the victory over Blacksburg.

Blacksburg opened the game with an 11-play, six -minute drive capped by a 1-yard touchdown by fullback Bradley Phillips. The Wildcats moved ahead 14-0 on an 18- yard touchdown run by Raymond Ellis early in the second quarter. Dixie pulled within 14-7 at halftime on a 4-yard run by Hawthorne in the second quarter. After returning the second half kickoff to the 45-yard line, Dixie tied the game on Damian Rice’s 1-yard touchdown run and the extra point by Anthony DiBenedetto.

Dixie went ahead on Hawthorne’s 4-yard run to end a long scoring drive midway through the third quarter.

Blacksburg football coach Mickey Moss lamented his team’s missed opportunities following the game.

“We didn’t play with any fire or enthusiasm. We didn’t tackle well. We dropped a couple of touchdown passes which could have sealed the victory for us,” Moss said. “We are playing a lot of young players right now. Unfortunately, these are the kind of growing pains you go through sometimes when you are building a football program.”

Blacksburg played most of the game without its top running backs.

Lennal Dasher hurt his ankle in practice Tuesday and was limited to one play on defense against Dixie.

Ellis rushed for 92 yards on nine carries before leaving midway through the second quarter with an ankle injury as Blacksburg drove for a potential three touchdown lead. Ellis was hurt at the end of a 14-yard run to move the ball inside the 10-yard line.

The potential scoring drive stalled following a delay of game penalty, lost yardage on a Chase Hames’ run and a dropped touchdown pass by wide receiver Brent Bonner. Bonner later saw another scoring opportunity slip through his fingers when he was unable to catch a long pass from running back Chase Hames on a double lateral pass which could have tied the game in the fourth quarter. Wildcat Stats

	DIX	BLK
First downs	12	12
Rushes-yards 37-202 36-200
Comp.-Att.-Int. 1-1-0		5-12-2
Passing yards	13	58
Fumbles-lost	2-0	0-0
Punts-Avg.	3-31.8	3-32
Penalties	7-45	5-35

BLK - Phillips 2-yard run
(Palmer kick.)
BLK - Ellis 18-yard run
(Palmer kick.)
DIX - Collier 3-yard run
DIX - Rice 1-yard run
DIX - Hawthorne 2-yard run
Individual stats
Rushing: BLK - Ellis 9-92, C.
Hames 16-80, Phillips 6-16,
N. Hames 2-8, Parker 3-4.
Dixie: Hawthorne 20-102,
Collier 13-74, Hall 3-15. Rice
1-1.
Passing: BLK - Parker 5-12-2
58 yards. DIX - Hall 1-1-0 13
yards.