BEARCATS IMPOSE THEIR WILL

Mansfield won the coin toss Friday night and deferred their option until the second half essentially forcing the Bearcats to take the football.

It was pretty much the last opportunity for the Tigers to dictate anything as the Bearcats took a 42-7 win.

Taking the ball, the Bearcats (5-2, 4-0 Conference 3A-1) got offensive, perhaps even offended as they were facing a former coach.

An offense that had not scored less than 22 points in a game was facing a defense that had allowed just 37 all season. The Bearcat offense dictated play from their game opening possession that saw 10 plays cover 63 yards and it was 7-0.

The biggest play came on a fourth-and-5 when Jace Washburn hit Dakota Mattson for 13. Dax Goff capped the drive with a 15-yard run for the first of his four touchdowns.

Juan Moreno added the first of six point after kicks.

Besides the touchdowns, Goff was particularly dictatorial on the night with 24 carries for a season high 206 yards against a defense that had been allowing just 6.1 points per game.

The Tigers (5-2, 2-2) got a couple of first downs against the Bearcat defense on their first possession – accounting for half of what they managed in the entire first half – but ultimately had to punt after two incomplete pass and a negative yardage tackle by Goff and Seth Wilson.

After the Tiger punt, Washburn, who threw for 78 first half yards, hit Goff for a big gain but illegal block and holding flags on consecutive plays made it first-and-30 and the Bearcats would also punt.

Mansfield would be forced to give the ball back after only three plays but by then the second quarter had started.

The Bearcats doubled their lead to 14-0 with a 63-yard drive that saw Goff run for 43 yards, including 8 for the touchdown with 9:05 to play in the first half.

Mansfield then went three-and-out again. The Bearcats then scored again and it was 21-0 with 4:28 still to play in the half.

The scoring drive covered 66 yards and took just eight plays. It was Goff with the touchdown from 20 yards out but it was Rylen Ray with three first down carries on the drive.

Ray, who would later leave with an injury, ran for 113 yards on 12 first half carries, finally hitting triple digits this season.

Hunter Warren made a negative yardage tackle on the ensuing possession – Mansfield had 74 yards at the half – and a forthcoming punt was downed at the Tiger 39.

Ray took it from there with a single play drive that made it 28-0 3:07 until halftime.

Using time outs and their defense to force a punt the Bearcats went for the jugular but would miss as Washburn suffered an interception to keep the clock running at normal pace.

Out of halftime the Tiger offense would find some life, converting a pair of fourth downs during a 65-yard march to get on the scoreboard.

Perhaps offended, the Bearcats got the ball the first time at their 33 and went 67 yards to answer the Tiger score.

It would be Hunter Warren scoring his first Bearcat touchdown on a 1-yard carry with 2:29 to go in the third quarter.

Though he had not logged a carry this season, Warren, who took over at fullback, would carry eight times on the night for 29 yards.

Mansfield would be in punt formation before the quarter ended and the Bearcats would, after a quarter break, complete a 61-yard drive with Goff scoring from the 6 with 6:25 to play to enact the Arkansas Activities Association's sportsmanship – mercy – rule.

The Tigers got a kickoff return into Bearcat territory but would not be able to do more damage because Farris Danes caused a fumble that Triton Halpain would recover and after Garrick Barr moved the chains, the only need was for Rhett Nietert to take a knee to end it.

The Bearcats will be back on the road this Friday at Charleston to face a Tiger team who is also 4-0 in conference play after starting the year 0-3 through a brutal nonconference slate.

The Tigers beat the Bearcats twice last season, to win a conference title and a state title.