The Booneville Bearcats scored points five different ways during a 54-14 beating of West Fork Friday night.
The most unusual, perhaps a first ever, was an old school drop kick point after kick by Cutler Haller that pushed the score form 39-0 to 40-0 in the second quarter.
Haller is typically the Bearcat punter, a role for which he got no work Friday.
Obviously there were rushing touchdowns, the first of six came just three plays and 52 seconds into the game with Hunter Hunter Warren running 14 yards for his first of two touchdowns.
Oliver Loaeza kicked the point after. Loaeza would do that four times, the second just 3:08 later after a 31-yard scoring run by Rhett Nietert and it was 14-0.
Warren’s second touchdown made it 20-0 with 5:52 left in the first quarter but Nietert was forced to scramble and after taking snap for the PAT. He completed a pass to Sadler Miller but Miller was unable to reach the end zone.
Conner Droemer’s team leading fourth interception of the season gave the ball back to the Bearcats (5-2, 4-0 Conference 3A-1) and a Hayden Daniel touchdown run from the 1 made it 27-0 with 10:10 left in the first half.
Daniel ran for a team high 109 yards on just four carries.
On the ensuing kickoff Blade Petchenik stripped the football away from the returner to give the Bearcats the ball back and Nietert connected with Rylie Swint for 24 yards and a touchdown to make it 33-0.
A 2-point conversion try failed.
A 70-yard drive that took just six plays pushed the lead to 40-0. Nietert, who ran 5 times for 89 yards, scored the touchdown from the 12.
Nietert then served as a blocker, rather than a holder, as Haller executed the drop kick to perfection for the extra point.
A fourth down sack by Warren gave the Bearcats the ball back at the Tiger 30.
Parker Smith took over at quarterback and would run 13 yards for a touchdown that made it 47-0 4:21 before halftime.
The Bearcats had an opportunity to score again but decided to run out the clock with the ball inside the Tiger 5 after a 49-yard run by Miller (shown).
The sophomore who has become somewhat of a utility knife for the Bearcats, finished with 4 carries for 90 yards.
Petchenik started the second half by stripping the ball from a Tiger receiver and returning it 31 yards for a touchdown to make it 54-0.
The Bearcat offense would not score again but the defense would record another takeaway as Logan Wheeler recovered a fumble.
The Bearcats would have 11 players log a carry, including game captain Colton Taylor and Triton Halpain, a career first for both seniors.
The Bearcats will be at home this Friday taking on Mansfield. The Tigers are unbeaten in both league play, 4-0, and overall at 7-0.
BEARCATS GO OLD SCHOOL IN WIN OVER WEST FORK
