BEARCATS START SLOW, BUT DESTROY EAGLES ON HOMECOMING NIGHT

Score updates out of Bearcat Stadium for the first 10 game minutes Friday night likely raised a few eyebrows across the state as Baptist Prep opened a 14-0 lead.

Anyone who saw the final probably wasn’t too surprised that the Bearcats (7-1, 4-0) won big, 61-21 on Homecoming night for Queen Brook Turner.

The did so with four rushers topping the 100-yard mark – Rylen Ray 17-126 and 3 TDs, Rocky Ross 5-116 and a TD, Randon Ray 17-109 and 3 TDs, and Dax Goff 14-106 and TD.

Prep took the opening kickoff and drove 70 yards in eight plays, going in front 7-0 on a 36-yard pass play.

The Eagles then recovered an onside kick and drove to the Bearcat 15 before a dropped snap turned into a seven-yard loss and a turnover on downs.

Prep got the ball back just three plays later when the Bearcats fumbled for just their fourth turnover of the season.

The Eagles again scored in eight plays but also with the aid of a sideline interference 15-yard penalty that turned a fourth down into a first down.

With 2:10 to go in the first quarter, Cade Smith recovered another onside but the first play after the recovery was a three-yard loss.

Goff ripped off 18 on the next play and when the quarter ended the Bearcats were at the Prep 20-yard line.

Four plays into the second quarter Randon Ray followed his line into the end zone from the 1 and Randon Ray also ran for a two-point conversion to make it 14-8.

After Pablo Ferrer sent the kickoff into the end zone the Eagles used only 13 seconds from the clock, throwing three incomplete passes, then punted.

Ross started the next Bearcat drive with a 26-yard run and Randon Ray scored from the 4 with 8:57 to play in the first half. Ferrer kicked the first of six point afters for a 15-14 Bearcat lead.

Prep converted a fourth down on their next possession but punted on another and the Bearcats had the ball at their own 3 with 4:02 left in the half.

Ten plays later Randon Ray hit Brooks Herrera for 12 yards and a first down in Baptist Prep territory.

Two Randon Ray runs sandwiched around a spiked ball netted 17 yards and Rylen Ray got 17 more to move the ball to the 10.

After a time out Ferrer kicked a 27-yard field goal and it was 18-14 at the half.

The second half was total domination as the Bearcats held Prep to -10 yards of offense and proceeded to score 43 points in a span of just over 16 minutes.
Chase Plymale helped lead the defensive unit. He finished with four solo tackles, two assists, including 3.5 for a loss and 1.5 sacks.

Rylen Ray recovered an onside kick to start the half and Ross went 46 yards on the first offensive play of the half.

Rylen Ray scored from the 3 and, Rylen Ray also ran for a two point conversion and it was 26-14.

With 10:22 left in the third quarter the Bearcats had the ball back and in eight plays Randon Ray had his third touchdown, scoring from the 4 and Ferrer kicked it to 33-14.

However, an 89-yard kickoff return for a touchdown got Prep back to within 33-21.

Rylen Ray recovered another onside kick at midfield and the Bearcats scored in nine plays. A 5-yard run by Rylen Ray made it was 40-21 with the Ferrera PAT.

Chase Plymale started the next Prep possession with a tackle for a three-yard loss, one of his 3.5 tackles for a loss in the game, including 1.5 sacks.

A sack by Cody Elliott caused a fumble two plays later but the Eagles – who, including a couple of dropped snaps, put the ball on the ground five times without losing it – saved the possession and punted.

Randon Ray closed the quarter with a 35-yard run and the Bearcats were at the Prep 9. Goff scored on the first play of the final quarter and it was 47-21.

A Randon Ray interception gave the Bearcats the ball back and a 32-yard Ross run (shown) that saw three Eagles slow to get up, made it 54-21.

Though they got the ball back, Prep would still have no luck moving it as Plymale and Peyton Tatum were credited with a shared sack when the Prep quarterback was chased out of bounds and the Eagles again were again in punt formation.

However, a bad snap resulted in a stop by Plymale and Mason Goers and the Bearcats had the ball back at the Prep 15.

Herrera got 12 yards on the next play but, after a loss, it was Rylen Ray scoring for the third time, from the 5 and it was 61-21 with 8:47 to play.

With the sportsmanship rule in effect each team had one possession before it ended.

The Bearcats will next be on the road at Atkinson Friday. The Red Devils are 4-3 overall and 2-2 in league play after a 42-6 loss at Paris Friday.