IT'S PLAYOFF GAME DAY

Tonight the 2022 Booneville Bearcats will be attempting to notch the 75th win in the history of the Bearcat program.

Booneville is in the playoffs for the 46th time, and for the 26th consecutive season, last missing the cut after the 1996 season.

The Bearcats have advanced to the second round of a bracket, be it the eight team fields of 1947 or 1952, the 16-team fields of the 1980s, or the current 30-team format that has two byes, 34 times.

Four times those byes have gone to the Bearcats and they are 30-11 in first round games they have played, including wins in 2018, 2020, and 2021 – with a bye in 2019.

Booneville is 47-13 in playoff games at Bearcat Stadium, for a winning percentage of 0.783, including 5-0 under Head Coach Doc Crowley.

In the first round the Bearcats record at Bearcat Stadium is 25-4 (0.862), assuming the 2020 bracket is viewed with play-ins rather than a 64-school field with just three first round games.

The overall playoff record is 74-41 (0.643).

One of those wins came was a classic 6-0 decision against Junction City in the second round in 1986 – the Bearcats had won at Berryville the week before. It was picked as the greatest game in the history of Bearcat Stadium the year the “Home of Champions” turned 50.

That Junction City team was known for a sophomore running back who led the state with 1827 yards. The Bearcat defense shut them out with Clint Watson and Eric Jones recording end zone interceptions to kill one drive and clinch the game.

For a story on the game in a countdown of the top 50 games in the stadium, Watson said, “On paper we were underdogs, but JC tied their cleats the same way we did. JC had not witnessed a defense like ours, a coaching staff or a community like the Booneville Bearcats. I know that our fans never sat down during the game and they never stopped roaring which JC had never been in a game where they couldn't hear until they stepped into Bearcat Country. Thank you to all you Bearcat fans through the years.”

Jones’ interception came after a 59-yard option pitch by Frank Johnson to Paul White for the game’s only points with under four minutes to play.

Over 30 years after the fact Johnson said,”Best game that I ever played in, besides state game of course. I will never forget it. When I think about it, it was just like it was yesterday when I pitched the ball to Paul and watched him run down the field for a TD.”

Mascots: Booneville Bearcats; Junction City Dragons
When: 7 pm, 11-11, at Doug Scheel Field at Bearcat Stadium
Series: Booneville leads 1-0 (1.000)
Last Meeting: Bearcats 6 Junction City 0 on 11-21-1986
Streak: Booneville has won last 1
First Meeting: Bearcats 6 Junction City 0 on 11-21-1986
Conference Affiliations: Bearcats are 3A-1, Junction City is 3A-5

THIS DATE IN BEARCAT FOOTBALL HISTORY: The Beractas are 9-4 all time in games documented to have been played on November 11, including a 3-2 mark in the playoffs. Anthony Napier ran for 234 yards in a playoff loss to De Queen on 11-11-11.

On November 11, 2005 Hoxie was in town for a playoff game. Derek Davis returned an interception 51 yards for a touchdown and threw Andrew Springer a 78-yard touchdown pass, which is the longest pass play in playoff history. Daniel Shaw also ran for three touchdowns that night in a 35-0 win.

In non playoff games David Cotner returned a kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown against Greenwood in a game the Bearcats won on November 11, 1966 and Austin Bryan kicked a 45-yard field goal in a 9-0 win over Morrilton on November 11, 1927. That stood as the longest field goal until 1991.

TONIGHT IN THE 3A-1: Bearcats (3A-1 2) v Junction City (3A-5 4); Charleston (3A-1 1) v Gurdon (3A-5 5); Greenland (3A-1 3) at Fouke (3A-5 3); Mansfield (3A-1 4) at Fordyce (3A-6 3); Lavaca (3A-1 5) at Centerpoint (3A-4 2)