HOUSTON TOUCHDOWN HIGHLIGHTS 66-21 WIN IN CEDARVILLE

Including a 38-point second quarter the Booneville Bearcats scored 52 unanswered points and pummelled Cedarville 66-21 on the opening night of Conference 3A-1 play Friday.

Included in the point barrage was a 6-yard scoring run by Will Houston on his first career carry. The team manager, Houston (19, shown following Caleb Richardson) was in pads for the first time.

Taking advantage of pass interference and facemask penalties – the Bearcats (2-2, 1-0) were penalized 6 times for 76 yards in the opening quarter – the Pirates drew within 14-13 on a 1-yard fourth down run with 1:55 to go in the quarter.

In just 52 seconds it was 21-13, and by halftime it was 59-13.

Following the missed point after try kept the Bearcats in front it took just three plays for the Bearcats to add to their lead as Hunter Warren went 54 yards for his first of three first half touchdowns. Oliver Loaeza added the point after and it was 21-13.

The Bearcats got the ball back before the quarter ended and were up 29-13 before the first minute of the second quarter was gone.

Brody Chambers got the touchdown from the 1 and Devon Ritchie, who had run 34 yards for a go-ahead touchdown when the game was tied at 7-7 – added a 2-point conversion.

The 29-13 score only lasted 55 seconds because Seth Wilson picked off a pass and returned it 38 yards for a touchdown and Chambers ran for an extra 2 to make 37-13.

Warren, who finished with 135 yards on 9 carries, scored on a 2-yard run and Ritchie added his second 2 to make it 45-13 at the 6:12 mark of the second quarter.

After forcing a Pirate punt the Bearcats had the ball at the Cedarville 41.

Rhett Nietert then connected with Jasper Meeker for 35 yards – Nietert was 3-of-3 for 63 yards on the night – and the ball was at the 6.

Into the game came number 19, who set up shop in a full house backfield, collected a handoff from Nietert and was escorted into the end zone and, with Loaeza’s PAT it was 52-13.

Houston then emerged from the celebration huddle in the end zone and spiked the football, as planned, resulting in an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

The lead would balloon even more before the half because Warren picked off a pass and returned it 33 yards for a touchdown with 3:01 still left on the clock and it was 59-13, making it 45 points in 10:01 of play.

It is the first time a Bearcat defense has scored two touchdowns in the same game in 13 years. It is only the 14th time there has been at least two defensive scores in a game.

The Bearcats actually had a chance to do even more damage before the intermission because Triton Halpain had a fourth Bearcat interception.

Out of halftime with there being no need to expose Nietert, Tayden Washburn out from an injury in the second game, and Hayden Daniel having been forced from this game, Parker Smith became the fourth Bearcat to be under center this season.

Smith led the offense on a 64-yard march to start the second quarter and it was 66-13. Sadler Miller got the touchdown run – Rylie Swint had one negated by a penalty – and Loazea added his sixth point after.

The Bearcats got the ball back after a Pirate punt but would fumble to give Cedarville a short field. The Pirates capitalized to make it 66-21 with a little more than seven minutes to play.

After the kickoff Raygon Harger and Levi McMaster had first down carries and the Bearcats went into victory formation to end it.

The game had started with fireworks by Cedarville (1-3, 0-1) in the form of an 87-yard kickoff return for a 7-0 lead.

The Bearcats then lost a fumble on their first possession but Nietert picked off a pass and Conner Droemer (5-93) went 64 yards for a touchdown to tie it at 7-7.

The Bearcats lost scoring runs twice on their next possession but finally kept a 34-yard touchdown run by Ritchie to take a 14-7 lead.

The Bearcats will play at home next Friday, hosting Hackett for homecoming night. Hackett lost 52-6 to Mansfield Friday and is 2-2, 0-1 on the season.