BEARCATS MORE THAN UP TO CHALLENGE AGAINST RIVALS

After having consecutive drives hampered by penalties which led to Ozark starting consecutive drives in Bearcat territory – one at the Bearcat 11-yard line – the Bearcat defense stood firm to preserve a then 8-0 lead.

The Bearcat (2-0) offense then scored four times in four drives – discounting a kneel down to end the first half – and the lead grew to 34-0 on the way to a 42-12 final.

The win over Ozark is the 260th by a Bearcat team at Bearcat Stadium. Ozark has accounted for 17 of those wins.

The home team winning the game is also an aversion of late, marking only the second time in 10 meetings the host has been victorious.

After the first penalty riddled drive, Ozark was at the Bearcat 11 when Mason Goers forced a fumble that Trace Hall recovered, and, after a punt from the Bearcat 10, Cody Elliott turned a third down screen pass into a loss and Ozark punted.

Starting from their 17 the Bearcats needed four plays to score as Randon Ray ripped off the final 61 and the quarterback then connected with Brooks Herrera for a two-point conversion and a 16-0 lead.

Randon Ray ran 13 times for 132 yards Friday night, giving him 347 yards and six touchdowns against the Hillbillies in his career.

Randon Ray had scored the first Bearcat touchdown of the night from the 2 to complete a 50-yard drive. The two-point conversion after Ray's first touchdown was also a pass, from Ray to Rocky Ross. The Hillbillies had been forced to punt after three plays netted negative 4 yards to open the game.

Up 16-0 the Bearcats got the ball back at their 41 and needed just three plays to score with Rylen Ray scoring from 40 yards out. For the first time this season a two-point conversion try failed keeping it 22-0.

Rylen Ray’s eight carries netted 81 yards.

Having won the opening coin toss and deferred until the second half the Bearcats got the ball to start the third quarter with Ross returning the kickoff to the Bearcat 35.

Randon Ray got 35 on the first play and on a fourth-and-5 from the Hillbilly 25, Ray threw a touchdown pass to a wide open Rayce Blansett and it was 28-0.

The Bearcats got the ball back due to Goers’ second fumble forced – recovered by Casey Mattson – and it was Dax Goff (pictured) scoring from the 40 to make it 34-0 with 6:52 to play in the third quarter.

Goers had three solo and three assisted tackles, with two tackles for a loss to go along with the turnovers caused. Brett Welling led the defense with three solo and five assisted tackles.

The Bearcats got the ball back just 1:49 later but it was a fumble of their own that would lead to Ozark getting on the scoreboard on an 11-yard run.

With 11:06 to play Goff scored his second touchdown of the night from the 1 – Herrera, for the second time, had been run down just outside the goal line – and with Ross running for a two-point conversion it was an Arkansas Activities Association sportsmanship, or mercy, rule lead of 42-6.

Goff’s touchdown run gave him 101 yards on the night.

Ozark scored again on a pass with 4:39 to go but Elliott was having nothing to do with allowing a two-point conversion, keeping it 42-12.

The Bearcats are open this week and are scheduled to complete a nonconference schedule against the 4A-4 with a trip to Mena on Sept.17.