IT'S CHAMPIONSHIP GAME DAY

The Bearcats are making their 10th appearance in a state title game and head coach Doc Crowley becomes the fifth straight head coach to take a Bearcat team to the finals.

Gene Bradley was the first in 1978, though the game was played in Benton, Doug Scheel teams made four finals appearances (1985, 1986, 1988, 1989), Kenneth Rippy took two teams (2000 and 2001), and Scott Hyatt two more (2013 and 2018).

The road to their 10th title appearance started at Bearcat Stadium on November 11. Since then it’s been a road trip. Three with one to go. The Bearcats are the visitors today.

According to Google Maps from Bearcat Stadium to the now four venues the Bearcats will have visited since week 11, the total round trip mileage in preferred routes covers 1,590 miles. Using those routes the round trip time, with no stops, would total 28 hours, 16 minutes.

Mascots: Booneville Bearcats; Charleston Tigers
When: 7 p.m., 10-21, at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock
Series: Booneville leads 48-13-2 (0.778)
Last Meeting: Charleston 42 Bearcats 14 on 10-21-2022
Streak:Charleston has won last 1
First Meeting: Charleston 39 Bearcats 0 on 10-15-1920
Conference Affiliations: Both Booneville and Charleston are 3A-1

NOTES: This marks the second time the Bearcats and Charleston have met twice in a season. The other was 2014 when Charleston won the regular season game and won again when the teams met in the semifinals. Both of those games were in Charleston.

Saturday’s winner will log the 10th win by the 3A-1 in the postseason. The 9-3 record to date includes five road wins with the Bearcats recording three straight, Charleston one last week, and Greenland one in the playoff opener.

THIS DATE IN BEARCAT FOOTBALL HISTORY: For the second straight week, there is no documented game by the Bearcat football program on December 10.

TODAY IN THE 3A-1: Bearcats v Charleston at War Memorial Stadium.