For the third straight week the Booneville Bearcats did not throw a pass, but that does not mean quarterback Rhett Nietert was not involved.
The Bearcats (9-4), also for the third straight week, did not need to as they were dominant in the trenches in a 47-14 win over Glen Rose, which marked the second straight week the Bearcats went on the road and took down a conference champion.
It was Nietert, specifically, who got the Bearcats off to a quick start with a 28-yard touchdown run to cap the game's initial possession.
The senior quarterback then went on to direct an offense that ran for 514 and had four 100-yard rushers, including himself.
Statistically Nietert did not throw a pass but he did a little improvisation after a snap issue following his touchdown but was unable to connect with Blade Petchenik forcing the Bearcats to settle for a 6-0 lead.
Following a punt exchange – a first for the Bearcats in the playoffs – the Bearcats came up with the game’s first turnover as Cutler Haller recovered a fumble at the Beaver 35.
Hayden Daniel (6 carries 105 yards) would score on a run of 27 yards with 11:10 to play in the first half and Oliver Loaeza, after a holding penalty wiped out a 2-point conversion attempt, hit a PAT of 29 yards to make it 13-0.
In less than four minutes the score would be 26-7.
Glen Rose answered with a quick drive to a 7-yard touchdown run to make it 13-6 and, after Devon Ritchie recovered an onside kick attempt, Conner Droemer went 53 yards for his first touchdown and it was 19-6.
Droemer (6 carries 141 yards) was not finished. One play after forcing a Beaver punt that went just 19 yards, Droemer took a pitch 45 yards for a touchdown and a 26-7 lead.
Glen Rose cut it to 26-14 with 4:30 to play in the half but the Bearcats again had a short field because Avery Reno recovered an onside kick attempt.
Three Hunter Warren carries later it was 33-14. Warren was on his way to a 25-carry, 145-yard night during which he would score three touchdowns.
The Beavers used the final 3:01 of the half to try to get back within two scores but ultimately ran out of time on a fourth down hook-and-lateral after a couple of penalties aided the Bearcats.
Penalties greatly aided the Beavers on the Bearcats’ initial second half possession. First Warren lost a 1-yard dive into the end zone for what was called a hurdle.
Then there were two holding and a chop block flag on the next three straight plays and it was first and goal from the 35 for the second time.
Daniel ripped off 26 yards and the Bearcats looked to be able to overcome the adversity only to fumble the possession away.
Following another Glen Rose punt the Bearcats would extend the lead to 40-14 on a Warren touchdown run of 11 yards with 2:44 to play in the third quarter.
Warren’s third touchdown came with 5:30 to play, after Nietert had rumbled 31 yards to the 2 to give him even 100 yards on 9 carries, made it 47-14.
Throughout the night the Bearcat defense hounded the Glen Rose quarterback with Haller recording two sacks and Warren getting a third.
It was Seth Wilson leading the way with seven solo stops as the Bearcats punched their ticket for the semifinal round of the playoffs for the 24th time in school history.
The opponent will be Fordyce, who beat Mayflower 28-14 Friday, edged Charleston 36-35 in the second round, and beat Jessieville 46-0 in week 11.
The Bearcats and Red Bugs also met in the quarterfinals last year at Paul Bear Bryant Stadium, in a game Fordyce won 34-26.
NIETERT GETS BEARCATS OFF TO FAST START IN WIN OVER GLEN ROSE
