Whether they opted to be methodical or to strike quickly, the Booneville Bearcat offense operated with precision, eliminating Rivercrest 41-13 in the second round of the Class 3A playoffs Friday night in Wilson.
The Bearcats (8-4) were a perfect 7-of-7 on third downs and ran for 390 yards.
The Bearcats trailed 7-0 after the Colts (8-3) drove 65 yards to begin the game.
But, after a kickoff return across midfield by Callen Montalvo the Bearcats took just five plays to score.
Conner Droemer got the touchdown on a run of 7 yards with Hayden Daniel and Laythen Shaffer clearing the edge. Oliver Loaeza added the extra point to tie it at 7-7.
The go-ahead score was provided by the defense, which scored its third touchdown of the playoffs and sixth of the year. This time it was Rhett Nietert returning an interception 39 yards for a touchdown to make it 14-7.
Cutler Haller had his first of three sacks on the ensuing possession and, after a Rivercrest punt, the Bearcats kept the ball for 10 plays, going up 21-7 on Droemer’s second touchdown, this one coming from 17 yards out.
Rivercrest, who was a conference champion for the 35th time and the top seed from the 3A-1, would then drive to the Bearcat 27 before running out of downs with 7:48 to play in the first half.
Six plays later it was 28-7. Brody Chambers (shown) had a 55-yard carry to the Colt 5 but it was Hunter Warren getting his first of three straight touchdowns from the 2.
Warren and Chambers, the fullback duo, combined for 38 carries and 316 yards in the game with Chambers getting 17 rushes for 143 yards and Warren picking up 173 on 21 attempts.
The Bearcats got the ball back with 71 seconds left in the half and crammed four plays into the timeframe, but settled for the three score lead at the intermission.
It took just two plays and 55 seconds of the third quarter for the lead to swell to 34-7.
Sadler Miller recovered an onside kick at midfield and Warren carried for 4 and 46 and the touchdown on the first two downs of the half.
Rivercrest responded with a scoring drive of their own, needing only 3:05 to cover 61 yards to make it 34-13.
The Colts would have the ball just once more.
First the Bearcats kept the ball for 17 plays and 10:35, running the score to 41-13 on Warren’s third touchdown run, from the 2, with 9:03 to play.
On what would be their final possession, Rivercrest would reach the Bearcat 15 but Nietert’s second interception of the night ended the threat with 6:56 to play.
Seven plays later the Bearcats saw a penalty erase a Daniel touchdown but they were then in a position to have Nietert take a knee twice to run out the clock.
The Bearcats will be on the road for a quarterfinal round game at Glen Rose next Friday, keeping perfect at 6 a streak of Crowley led teams teeing it up post-Thanksgiving.
Glen Rose reached the quarterfinals by beating Atkins 19-9 Friday. The Beavers had eliminated Harrisburg 49-12 in the opening round.
FULLBACKS RUN FOR 316 YARDS IN DOMINATING PERFORMANCE AT RIVERCREST
