JUNIOR BEARCATS WIN WILD CONFERENCE OPENER

From the final play of the first half to the 4:39 mark of the third quarter Thursday night at Bearcat Stadium the Booneville Junior High Bearcats went from a 6-6 tie to a 30-6 lead over Perryville.

By the 7:52 mark of the fourth quarter, Perryville had drawn within 30-26.

Conner Lentz and Jace Washburn scored their second touchdowns of the night before it ended and the Bearcats picked up their first win of the season 46-26 in the Conference 3A-4 opener for both schools.

After Perryville cut the lead to 30-26 Washburn covered up an onside kick at midfield.

Chase Shelton bolted for nine yards on the next play and an offside penalty on Perryville moved the chains.

A 27-yard run by Lentz got the Bearcats inside the Mustang 10 but holding penalties on two of three plays had the Bearcats in a third-and-goal situation from the 22.

Lentz took it in from there and Demari Poole added a two-point conversion and it was 38-26 with 4:03 remaining.

Aiden Carter sacked Perryville’s quarterback and Poole broke up a fourth down pass on the next Mustang possession and the Bearcats had the ball back.

After a Perryville time out, Washburn (shown) kept the ball while Poole was being dragged down and the quarterback went in from the 22. Lentz ran for the two-point conversion and it was 46-26.

Washburn had run 66 yards the first time the Bearcats snapped the ball – the Bearcat defense forced a punt to open the game.

An 84-yard carry, with three extra yards for a horse collar penalty quickly put the Mustangs in a position to tie the game at 6-6.

The score stayed tied until the Poole scored from the 1 on the final play of the half.

That score was set up by Shelton returning a punt 54 yards to the Mustang 15. Washburn ran for the conversion, a first for the Bearcats this season, and it was 14-6.

Conner Droemer fielded the second half opening kickoff at his 24 and went 76 yards through the middle of the field and Washburn’s second two-point conversion made it 22-6.

Lentz intercepted a pass after a Dylan Todd sack and the Bearcats had the ball back at the Mustang 24.

Perryville forced the Bearcats into a fourth down but Washburn hit Lentz for 21 and a touchdown and Shelton ran for an extra two and a 30-6 lead.

Perryville climbed back in with a score at the 2:44 mark of the third quarter, then scored after a Bearcat fumble, and got an onside kick that led to another score and it was 30-26.

Washburn finished with 88 yards rushing and 21 passing. Lentz ran for 93 yards and had the 21 yard reception.

Poole also ran for 33 yards and a touchdown and was the leading tackler with three solo and four assists. Dakota Mattson also had three solo stops and Seth Wilson had a solo stop and four assists.