It may not appear on the sign at the entrance of Bearcat Stadium yet, and though it takes a win for an outright title, the drama is long over in Conference 3A-1 with the Bearcats assured of a conference title and the top seed from Conference 3A-1 in the Class 3A playoffs once they start on November 10.
The title is the 38th in school history and the sixth in a seven year span, which covers time in both the 3A-1 and 3A-4.
Booneville was not affiliated with a conference until the 1926 season so the 38 have come over a span of 98 years or one every 2.58 years, meaning, on average, anyone who played all three seasons in royal purple and old gold, played on a conference champion.
Obviously, titles have been coming at a greater clip of late. The current streak of success under Scott Hyatt and Doc Crowley is one title away from matching the seven in an eight year period of the Bearcats of 1982-1989 who played for Doug Scheel.
This year, Charleston is locked into the two seed and Lavaca into the five seed, leaving the only drama surrounding the conference involving the three and four seeds which will be the winner and loser, respectively of the Hackett at Mansfield game, also set for tonight.
• Mascots: Booneville Bearcats; Cedarville Pirates
• When: 7 p.m., November 3, at Doug Scheel Field at Bearcat Stadium
• Series: Booneville leads 5-0-0 (1.000)
• Last Meeting: Bearcats won by forfeit on November 4, 2022
• Streak: Booneville has won last 5
• First Meeting: Bearcats 40 Cedarville 28 on October 11, 1996
• Conference Affiliations: Both are 3A-1
TODAY IN BEARCAT FOOTBALL HISTORY: The Bearcats are 10-3 all time in games documented to have been played on November 3. Hall of Fame Coach Kenneth Rippy reached the 100 win mark at his alma mater on November 3, 2000 in a 44-21 win in Clarksville. Les Nuckolls ran for 138 yards that night in Johnson County.
Ironically, Rippy also recorded his final win on November 3, 2006, a 28-21 win over Ozark, who was already assured of a conference title. Colton waters ran 64 and 62 yards for touchdowns in the 2006 game.
Trent Goff also returned a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown against Subiaco on November 3, 1995.
NOTES: Juan Moreno’s 46-yard field goal is the first for the exchange student as a Bearcat. It was the second longest ever, but because James Lee kicked his 50-yarder in a week 11 (1991), it is actually the longest in a regular season game. It is also the longest by a foreign exchange student, topping one of 38 yards by Roger Olsen.
With three last Friday, Dax Goff is at 70 career touchdowns. If he scores seven more he’ll be the career leader in touchdowns scored surpassing Bryson May and Randon Ray. Doing so would give him 33 on the season, tying him with Carson Ray for the most in any one year.
