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 thank him for bringing this story to our readers.
A lot of things remained the same last Friday night at Bearcat Stadium.
Some things, however, were radically different.
The Booneville Bearcats advanced past the first round of a playoff bracket for the 35th time — 31-11 in first round games and four byes — with a 42-14 win over Junction City.
In the process there were, at multiple times, contributions made by freshmen to do so.
The offensive eruption was also a departure from the only other meeting between the two schools, the 1986 6-0 classic.
Unchanged, at least from last week, was there was rain, albeit a cold November one that later in the game was mixed with winter precipitation rather than lightning and tornado opportunities.
Also true to form was a Bearcat ground attack that saw 424 first half rushing yards and a sportsmanship level 42-7 lead.
Trace Hall needed just 11 yards to pass the 1,000-yard mark. He ran for 186 yards on just six carries and scored twice. Already well over the century mark, Dax Goff ran for 120 on nine with one a touchdown and Cody Elliott totaled 78 yards and two scores on eight carries. Elliott needs just 46 yards to become the third 1,000-yard back.
The Bearcats drove 90 yards away from their first points, which came on a 38-yard carry by Goff.
Junction City answered in two plays, scoring on a 77-yard pass play to tie it at 7-7 just 34 seconds later.
Just 21 seconds later Hall rumbled 47 yards for a touchdown and it was 14-7.
After forcing a Dragon punt the Bearcats went up 20-7 on a 3-yard Elliott run. The fullback carried four times on the 70-yard drive that included a 44-yard run by Goff.
Starting from their 31 after another of the six Dragon punts the Bearcats scored in just two plays but an illegal block negated rage score and cut Hall’s run to 33 yards.
Elliott scored from 43 yards out the next play and Hall got the two-point conversion for a 28–7 lead with 9:50 left in the first half.
The Dragons reached the Bearcat 8-yard line on the ensuing possession but a sack by Chase Plymale and another by Dunn Daniel with Goff causing a fumble that David Hicks recovered ended the threat.
Plymale led the way with eight total stops.
The Dragons would threaten again but Jace Washburn picked off a pass at the Bearcat 1 and returned it to the 20. Hall went 80 yards on the next play and it was 35-7 with 3:40 left in the half.
Freshman Seth Wilson then made his senior high debut at linebacker, joining classmate Hunter Warren who moved up in week eight. Wilson made stops on two straight tackles.
That got the Bearcats the ball back and Tatum scored from 19 with 1:05 left in the half to make it 42-7.
Out of the intermission the teams traded punts — a Demari Pool sack induced the Dragon punt — and freshman Rhett Nietert took over at quarterback.
A Bearcat fumble gave it back the Dragons with under eight minutes to play. Junction City scored six plays later to make it 42-14.
The win moves the Bearcats into the second round against Smackover. The Buckaroos, the two-seed from the 3A-5, beat Barton 46-28 Friday to advance and are home by being on the top portion of the bracket pairing.
The Bearcats and Buckaroos have never met. Smackover is 7-4 after beating Barton 46-28. The Buckaroos are the two seed from the 3A-4.
Smackover beat Fouke 46-20 in week 10 to move to the two seed and are the home team Friday because they are on the top of the bracket.
The Buckaroos played a nonconference schedule included a Class 4A, a private school, a Class 2A, and a Texas school.
The Bearcats and Buckaroos have one common opponent in Junction City, who Smackover beat 28-26 on October 7. Smackover is averaging 27.5 points per game and allows 26.8.
The Bearcat-Smackover winner will face the Osceola-Camden Harmony Grove winner the day after Thanksgiving.
