JUNIOR HIGH BEARCATS SCORE IN FINAL MINUTE TO BEAT LAVACA

The Booneville Junior High Bearcats got a 1-yard touchdown run from Brody Chambers with 38.1 seconds to play to dash any conference title hopes Lavaca held, as the Bearcat shot down and upset bid from the Golden Arrows, 14-12.

The Bearcats remain the Conference 3A-1 leader at 5-0 and 6-2 overall with the win.

Lavaca, who had a single conference loss coming into the game, suffered in their conference opener against Charleston, had hopes of assuring themselves of a share of a title after they took a 12-8 lead with 4:39 to play in the game.

Sadler Miller broke up a two-point conversion pass attempt in what would later prove to be a big play.

Hayden Daniel got 11 on the kickoff return (shown) and Brody Chambers got four yards on first down.

Head Coach Chad Simpson then called for a pass. To that point Tayden Washburn was 2-of-2 throwing the ball but both had gone for negative yardage. This one would not be behind the line of scrimmage.

Daniel got behind the Lavaca defense and hauled in a pass from Washburn for 36 yards to the Lavaca 26 and there was 3:22 left.

“We had practiced it all week and I think we completed it every time we did it in practice,” said Simpson. “I knew we would do it the way (Lavaca) was lining up. Everyone questioned by call.”

Chambers, who ran 25 times for 125 yards, had back to back carries for eight and the Bearcats were at the 10 with 2:27 to go.

Chambers got 3 and Washburn was ruled down at the 1 and Simpson took a time out with 40.8 seconds to go.

Chambers got the call again and scored from the 1 but Daniel was stopped on the a conversion try to keep it 14-12.

Chambers was not finished. He ran the Lavaca quarterback down after two yards one play after the kickoff and, although the Golden Arrows got a 27-yard completion to the Bearcat 36 there was an incomplete pass and a sack by Chambers on the final play.

That was the third sack of the night by the Bearcat defense.

The first, by Miller and Logan Wheeler, would force the Arrows to punt on the game’s initial possession – a 14-yard line drive of a boot that Washburn fielded at the Lavaca 41.

Chambers got 26 on the first Bearcat offensive play, then 10 over three more plays before Daniel scored from the 5. Daniel also added a two-point conversion for an 8-0 lead with 3:47 to go in the first quarter.

Lavaca kept the ball the rest of the first quarter and was at the Bearcat 17 to start the second quarter but Washburn picked off a pass on a third down and returned it to the Bearcat 36.

From there the Bearcats moved to the Lavaca 27 and were attempting to convert a fourth down but a loose ball on a pitchout was picked up and returned 71 yards to make it 8-6 with 1:45 left in the half.

Wheeler and Laython Shaffer prevented a two-point conversion to keep it 8-6.

With 0:00.3 to play in the half the Bearcats were turned away on a fourth down – after the chains had first been moved – but seemingly got a sack on the final play of the half by Braxton Hubble only to have Lavaca get one more crack after a penalty. A screen play would fall incomplete.

The third quarter was a defensive standoff in which Lavaca was held to just 16 yards but the Bearcats managed just 25 themselves.

The last of the Bearcat yards came on a fourth down conversion that put the ball at the Bearcat 37 but four plays later Lavaca had the ball back after a Bearcat punt.

The Arrows then drove 61 yards for the only offensive points of the night going in front on a 14-yard run with 4:39 to go, forcing the Bearcats to have to score in the final minute to win it.

The Bearcats will have little time to celebrate the win as they return to action at 7 p.m. Monday at Hackett, making up a game that was postponed due to weather on September 21.

The Bearcats will then close the year at Cedarville next Thursday.