Note to Our Readers: The following story was sourced in its entirety from Mr. Glenn Parrish, Director of Communications, Booneville School District. Mr. Parrish is a RNN Sports contributor, and we are grateful for his contributions of bringing Bearcats stories to our Booneville readers!
At one point this summer Bearcat Head Coach Doc Crowley surveyed his players out for a workout. He had 26 players available.
One player was out recovering from surgery and the injury bug had reared its head back in the spring and continued into the summer with a key loss of Brooks Herrera.
The bug has not been exterminated as yet. During the Bearcat scrimmage at Dardanelle where a two-way starting lineman who is a three-year starter went down.
Last Friday in Pine Bluff two more two-way starters went to the sidelines.
That leaves a seriously depleted lineup taking the field for the home opener Friday night against Ozark (1-0).
While the Bearcats were dropping Dollarway last week Ozark won their opener 49-26 over Clarksville.
Dax Goff ran for 109 yards last week surpassing the 1,000-yard career mark. Goff had his first career 100-yard game against Ozark at Bearcat Stadium as a sophomore last year.
With a new cycle starting, the game is in Bearcat Stadium for the second straight year. Ozark was the host in 2017 and 2018.
Last year marked the first win by the home team in the series since 2016.
Mascots: Booneville Bearcats; Ozark Hillbillies
When: 7 p.m, 9-2, at Doug Scheel Field at Bearcat Stadium
Series: Booneville leads 53-27-4 (0.655)
Last Meeting: Bearcats 42 Ozark 12 on 9-3-2021
Streak: Booneville has won last 2
First Meeting: Bearcats 45 Ozark 0 on 11-6-1924
Conference Affiliations: Bearcats are 3A-1, Ozark is 4A-4
THIS DAY IN BEARCAT FOOTBALL HISTORY: The Bearcats are 7-2 all time in games documented to have been played on September 2 with the most recent being the one loss, 41-22 to Pea Ridge in 2016.
Ronnie Littleton had a 68-yard touchdown run and an 85-yard kickoff return TD against Ozark in a 34-12 win on September 2 1977.
The Bearcats gained 460 yards in a 26-0 win over Charleston in the first game on September 2, 1960.. Included was a 63-yard pass from Jerry Trowbridge to Tommy Bryant.
THE 3A-1 SCHEDULE FOR WEEK 1 IS: Booneville v Ozark; Charleston at Elkins; Greenland v Green Forest; Hackett v Pocola, Okla; Lavaca at Magazine; and Mansfield at Paris. Cedarville is open.
