BEARCATS WIN, AND LOSE FRIDAY

The Booneville Bearcats actually won and lost on Friday night.

The win came in the form of a conference game forfeit from Danville. The loss came after a five plus hour trip to Timpson, Texas where the Bears won by a score of 57-40, making the game the fifth highest combined scoring game in school history.

The Danville game was scrubbed for the second straight season. The game in Texas, a first ever for the program, was added on Monday.

Friday’s game started well for the Bearcats with Randon Ray getting six yards and Rylen Ray getting eight on the next play.

Rylen Ray would go on to run for 150 yards on 21 carries and Randon Ray ran for 131 on 18 attempts. The brothers combined for five touchdowns.

After the quick start there was a personal foul penalty and a fumble – only the second turnover of the year for the Bearcats -- and what would be the only turnover of the game.

Timpson took advantage of the short field after the turnover to score first and led 7-0.

The Bearcats answered with an 8-play scoring drive with Randon Ray scoring from the 3 to make it 7-6, but the point after try was blocked.

The kickoff was returned 73 yards for a touchdown and the Bearcats were down 14-6. After a Bearcat punt, their only one of the night, Timpson scored in just four plays and led 21-6.

Trace Hall returned the ensuing kickoff 58 yards and the Bearcats scored in four plays. It was Rylen Ray going in from the 5, but a two-point conversion try was unsuccessful to keep it 21-12.

A 49-yard pass converted a Bear third down on the way to another score to make it 28-12 with 6:45 to go in the first half.

Timpson converted 7-of-12 third downs on the night despite the efforts of a Bearcat defense led by Casey Mattson’s seven solo and seven assisted tackles.

Starting from their 46 after a failed onside kick by Timpson, the Bearcats needed just seven plays to score to make it 28-18 – a try for two failed again. Randon Ray got the touchdown from the 10.

The Bearcats would then force a Bear punt, but the 68-yard boot put the ball at the Bearcat 18.

After Rylen Ray and Randon Ray ran for 24 and 30 yards on successive plays and Rocky Ross moved the Bearcats 11 yards closer, with 0:16 left in the half, the field goal team came on, but the kick was again blocked.

Out of the 30-minute intermission, a six-play Timpson drive pushed the lead to 35-18.

Dax Goff started the ensuing eight play scoring drive that Randon Ray finished with a 4-yard touchdown run and Pablo Ferrer kicked the PAT to cut the deficit to 35-25.

The Bearcats forced the Bears into a field goal try on their next possession but a roughing the kicker penalty – it appeared Hall tipped the ball before making contact with Timpson’s kicker – gave the Bears a first and goal and the lead would grow to 42-25 with another touchdown.

It took the Bearcats two plays to answer as Randon Ray went 40 yards for his fourth touchdown and it was 42-32 with 1:44 left in the third quarter.

The Bears then converted two third downs, the second for a touchdown, and overcame a bobbled snap on a PAT try that became a two-point conversion to make it 50-32.

Ross rumbled for an apparent touchdown on the next Bearcat possession, but one of the 11 penalties against the Bearcats wiped it out and, behind the chains, the Bearcats would turn the ball over on downs with 7:19 to play.

Ross finished with 57 yards on his seven carries in the game.

Timpson took six plays – scoring on another third down – to put it out of reach at 57-32.

But the Bearcats again answered with a scoring drive.

Peyton Tatum took over under center for the drive that covered 64 yards in nine plays with Goff scoring from the 1 and Ross running for a two-point conversion to make it 57-40.

Goff ran for 51 yards on his eight carries in the game.

When it ended both teams had 410 yards of offense.