BEARCATS BATTLE BACK, BUT FALL IN SCRIMMAGE

Jace Washburn and Dakota Mattson connected on their second touchdown pass of the night and Conner Lentz ran for a two-point conversion to get the Booneville Bearcats into a 27-27 tie with Dardanelle with 1:24 remaining in an AAA benefit game last night.

However, the Sand Lizards answered just 49 seconds later to pull out a 34-27 win in the scrimmage game.

Dardanelle had led 20-6 at halftime and had a chance to do further damage thanks to a fumble by the Bearcats late in the half.

Colter Fisher intercepted a pass on the final play of the half to keep in a two score game.

Mattson had accounted for the Bearcat touchdown on a 23-yard reception. He was on the receiving end of all four completions by Washburn (4-of-9) for 87 yards on the night. Washburn also ran for 68 yards.

Coming out of halftime the Bearcats took to the air but the pass fell incomplete.

Hunter Warren would later convert a third-and-6 and the Bearcats went on to move to the Dardanelle 42–yard line before running out of downs.

The Bearcats got the ball back on a fumble recovery two downs later but again tuned the ball over on downs, this time at the Dardanelle 28.

A punt ended the next Sand Lizard possession and put the ball at the Bearcat 28 and a seven-play drive got the Bearcats to within 20-13.

Lentz (shown) ran 23 yards for the touchdown and Juan Moreno added the point after starting what would be a quarter in which a combined 35 points would be scored. Lentz ran 10 times for 68 yards.

“It was good to see us fight and battle back, especially not having Dax (Goff) and Ry (Ray) on the field,” said head coach Doc Crowley.

Dardanelle moved to the Bearcat 26 but turned the ball over on downs after a fourth down stop by Dylan Todd and Lance Sims.

An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty moved the ball to the 41 and a play later, two more had the Bearcats at the Dardanelle 21.

The Bearcats were unable to capitalize and turned the ball over on an interception.

But when Dardanelle fumbled the next play a recovery set up a 4-yard Warren touchdown run to make it 20-19. A PAT try failed.

Warren drew the start at fullback because Ray did not play and the sophomore ran 17 times for a team-high 76 yards.

The Sand Lizards needed just five plays to cover 75 yards and were up 27-19.

The Bearcats needed 10 to cover the same distance with Washburn twice hitting Mattson with passes, including the touchdown, and with Lentz’s two-point run it was tied at 27.

“I felt like the longer the game went the more we settled in and got better. We just have to eliminate a couple big plays on defense and quit putting the ball on the ground,” said Crowley.

It took Dardanelle just three plays to go back in front.

The first quarter of the game featured reserves playing and after one quarter Dardanelle led 6-0.

There were several sophomores who got playing time in that quarter and several more saw more playing time the rest of the way.

“We had four or five sophomores on the field on defense most of the time and were pleased,” said Crowley.

Among the sophomores was Seth Wilson who had three tackles, including a sack.

Football season begins next Friday across the state with the so-called week 0 but the Bearcats will not be in action. Instead, the season opener will be on September 1, at Ozark, who also does not play week 0.