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What should have been a great moment Saturday afternoon for the Forestville Military Academy football team quickly turned into the Knights' worst fears.

With 4 minutes, 30 seconds remaining in the third quarter, senior Antonio Belt made a spectacular touchdown catch between two Potomac High defenders. The Knights pulled ahead, 19-14, on that play and seemingly snatched all the momentum away from Potomac.

But as the standout wide receiver hobbled into the end zone after the catch, it was clear something was wrong. Belt collapsed in the end zone with an injured left knee. He had to be helped off the field and spent the rest of the game on the sideline.

"I've never felt a pain like this before," Belt said Saturday.

Potomac outscored Forestville, 20-0, after Belt's injury and went on to win, 34-19. It was the second time in two weeks that the Knights lost a late lead. They gave up two late touchdowns in a 27-26 loss to Gwynn Park on Sept. 5.

Belt went to Southern Maryland Hospital Saturday evening, where he was diagnosed with a bad knee sprain. On Tuesday, Belt saw an orthopedic specialist who recommended he sit out for at least 10 days. Forestville coach Charles Harley told The Gazette Tuesday evening that Belt would not play Friday against Riverdale Baptist. He added that he would prefer Belt also sit out a Sept. 26 non-league game against Leonard Hall Junior Naval Academy, though Harley did not rule out having Belt available for that game.

Belt and Harley were critical of the field conditions at Potomac on Saturday. After rain on Friday, the field was muddy, and chunks of turf constantly were ripped away during the game, particularly down the Forestville sideline.

"[The players] shouldn't have been out there," said Harley. "I told [the Potomac coaches] before the game that somebody's going to get hurt on this field."

Belt said when he came down with his touchdown catch, he ran two steps and that's when he stepped in a divot, causing his injury.

"It happened after the catch," said Belt. "It was not in the end zone [when I got hurt]. There was a ditch there. I didn't see it. That whole field is messed up."

Belt caught 39 passes for 861 yards and 13 touchdowns last season. According to recruiting Web site Rivals.com, he has scholarship offers from Maryland, Rhode Island and Temple, with others likely on the way. Belt's touchdown catch Saturday, his first of this season, impressed his coach.

"How big was that to catch a ball between two guys, be injured and limp his way to the end zone?" said Harley. "He tried to come back in the third and fourth quarter and said ‘Coach, I can move it. I've got to play,' and I told him he wasn't going back in."

Belt had four catches for 79 yards and a touchdown. He also ran back a kickoff 75 yards for another touchdown. Senior quarterback Ricardo Smith threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to senior Antonio Wood for the Knights' other score.

 E-mail Adam Rubenstein at arubenstein@gazette.net.