SWNT SCORED CLINCHER: CHAMBERS RUNS FOR 257 YARDS

Almost everybody in Bearcat Stadium thought Brody Chambers was getting the football.

Instead it was Rylie Swint taking a pitch from quarterback Tayden Washburn and running 37 yards for a game clinching touchdown in a 28-16 junior high Bearcat win over Charleston that keeps the Bearcats as the lone unbeaten in Conference 3A-1.

The carry was the only one of the night Swint but that was hardly the reason expectations were for Chambers on the third-and-seven.

Chambers had carried the ball 23 times prior to the Swint carry. He had run for 257 yards in doing so. He had carried the 13 previous downs for the Bearcats – since a 26-yard carry by Washburn – and had carried 18 times in the second half.

While Swint’s touchdown made it a two-score game it did not finish the night because there were 52 seconds remaining.

Charleston used a pass for 12 yards and roughing the passer penalty to move to the Bearcat 43 but after a completion out of bounds, an incomplete pass, and a run for a first down the clock ran out before the Tigers could get another play off.

Swint’s touchdown was the only one of the second half after a wild first half in which the Bearcats (5-2, 4-0 Conference 3A-1) led 20-16.

Charleston moved into the red zone to start the game before backing up due to a block in the back and a sack by Kass DuPree and Chambers, then saw the drive end on a Devon Ritchie interception and return to the Bearcat 35.

Chambers carried twice for five yards, the Bearcats drew the Tigers offside for a first down and Chambers went 55 for a touchdown with 32 seconds to play in the opening quarter.

That started a streak of three straight carries for touchdowns.

A third down pass interference penalty inside the Bearcat 10 gave the Tigers a fresh set of downs on the ensuing possession and Charleston would go in front with a touchdown and two-point conversion with 4:45 left in the half.

That lasted 22 seconds. After a Washburn kickoff return Chambers raced 56 yards and it was 12-8.

Charleston retook the lead with 31 seconds left in the half on a one-yard run and led 16-12 after another successful two-point conversion.

That lasted 25 seconds. After another Washburn kickoff return Chambers rumbled 57 yards and this time Hayden Daniel, who would add the two-point conversion on the clinching touchdown, ran in for an extra two and a 20-16 lead.

Washburn recorded the second Bearcat interception to end the half.

The Bearcats got the ball to start the second half and moved, with a more deliberate pace to inside the Tiger 10 but turned the ball over at the 6 on a fumble with 3:42 to go in the third quarter.

Logan Wheeler and Callen Montalvo combined on a first down stop, Daniel made one his 10 solo stops on a short completion, and an incomplete pass forced a Tiger punt to get the ball back for the Bearcats.

Again the Bearcats marched inside the red zone only to turn it over on downs at the 1 with 5:22 remaining.

Charleston moved out to the 43 before turning it back over on downs on a fourth down completion that followed a third down completion for negative yardage, which had followed Laythan Shaffer’s ninth tackle in the game.

There was 1:41 remaining.

Two Chambers carries had netted just three yards and Charleston took its final time out to gear up for another Chambers run, but the Tigers got Swint instead.

The Bearcats have completed their home slate and will travel to Lavaca next Thursday. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.