GOFF IS CAREER RUSHING RECORD HOLDER; BEARCATS TOP TIGERS 25-15

Dax Goff became the Booneville career rushing leader in the first half Friday night in Charleston, but it was in the second half of the Bearcats 25-15 win over the Tigers that he put on a show.

Goff ran 27 times for 274 yards and four touchdowns in total, with 203 coming after halftime as the Bearcats moved to 6-2 on the season and a perfect 5-0 in Conference 3A-1.

He was particularly lethal in the fourth quarter when he ran nine times for 167 yards and two touchdowns.

Goff was obviously the catalyst but the Bearcats would total 458 offensive yards, with 450 coming on the ground.

Making his first start at fullback, sophomore Hunter Warren accounted for 75 yards on 12 carries.

If trailing at halftime were not enough the Bearcat defense took the field to start the second half with the Tigers (4-4, 4-1) on the Bearcat side of the field at the 48.

Charleston started four possessions 50 or fewer yards away from a touchdown, yet scored on only one of them, which was the strength of their 8-6 halftime lead.

The initial possession of the second half would end on a fourth down stop by Goff, who along with Demari Poole had eight total tackles to lead the defense.

The Bearcat defense that would hold on downs three times in the game.

Starting from their 26 the Bearcats went 74 yards to take a lead they would not surrender.

Goff converted a fourth-and-2 at the Bearcat 47 and would complete the drive with a 26-yard run that made it 12-8 with 5:06 to play in the third quarter.

The Tigers continued to utilize a strategy of burning as much of a 40-second play clock as possible but was turned away on fourth down at the Bearcat 30 when Goff grabbed a running back and Lance Sims and Poole finished him off for a yard loss.

The Bearcats ran three plays and committed a false start before the quarter ended with the ball at the Bearcat 33-yard line and a first-and-15 forthcoming.

Goff started the fourth quarter with a 67-yard run – again, he would have 100 more before the game ended – and although the point after kick hit the upright it was a two score game at 18-8 with 11:50 to play.

Charleston started at their 49 after the kick return – Charleston had 151 kickoff return yards and 21 more on punt returns – and would get to the Bearcat 27 before facing a fourth-and-15.

A completion was good for 14 so the Bearcats took over on downs again at their 18 with 8:15 remaining in the game.

Jace Washburn was stopped for no gain on the next play and the Bearcats were flagged for a false start to move the ball back to the 13.

Washburn pitched the ball to Dylan Todd on the second-and-15 and Todd went 42 yards on both his first carry of the night and of the season.

Three Goff carries later it was 25-8 as Goff went 38 for the touchdown and Juan Moreno added the extra point with 5:10 left in the game.

Starting from their 38 the Tigers used a completion along with a roughing the passer penalty to cross midfield.

Charleston eventually converted a fourth down to get to the 12 then scored on the next play to make it 25-15 with 2:30 to go.

Kicking from the Bearcat 45 due to a personal foul flag that gave the Bearcats 66 yards in penalties – Charleston had four for 30 yards – the Bearcats braced for an onside kick which came to Todd and he tipped it then swiped it out of the air and went to the ground.

Goff was not done. He had one 8-yard carry to move the chains and on a third-and-7 with Charleston having used its last time out, got loose for 44 yards to set up victory formation.

The game had started about as badly as it could for the Bearcats as the opening kickoff hit a Bearcat and went straight up, coming down into the hands of a Tiger at their 49.

Goff had a negative yardage stop on the first scrimmage play and Poole had a third down sack to force a Tiger punt.

Starting from their 23 the Bearcats marched to the Tiger 16 but would turn the ball over on a fumble.

Charleston likewise moved into Bearcat territory but also fumbled with Seth Wilson recovering at the Bearcat 24.

Charleston got the ball back at midfield after forcing a Bearcat punt and kept the ball the rest of the quarter, going to the bench with the ball at the Bearcat 27.

A third down rush went for no gain but a fourth down throw to the end zone gave the Tigers the lead.

It would be one of 8-0 when the Bearcats jumped offside on the PAT and Charleston elected to go for two, and converted.

An 80-yard drive by the Bearcats took over eight minutes and cut it to 8-6 when Goff scored from the one on a fourth down with 3:18 left in the half.

Charleston would pin the Bearcats with another punt before the half and the Bearcats made matters worse with a penalty and 8 lost yards on a backward pass.

The Bearcats would get out to the 16 before having to punt again.

Charleston had time for three plays, the last of which would be an interception by Goff to end the half.

The Bearcats return home Friday to face Lavaca on what will be senior night. Lavaca fell to 6-2 and 3-2 Friday with a 43-19 loss to Mansfield. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.