BEARCAT, HILLBILLY SERIES REACHES CENTENNIAL

The Booneville-Ozark series is reaching the centennial mark on Friday night.

It does so not in terms of meetings, though there have been 86 of them including the first recognized meeting in November of 1924 as noted in the series information bullet section below.

With an 87th meeting set for Friday at Bearcat Stadium, the Hillbillies represent the second most often faced opponent for the Bearcat program. The, to date, 55 wins over Ozark is the third most suffered by any opposing program.

In addition to the series reaching the 100-year mark, ironically, this year’s meeting falls on the anniversary of the opening of Bearcat Stadium, which was christened with a 27-0 win over Charleston on September 6, 1968. The stadium that Gene Bradley built opened for its 57th season with Poteau, Okla. In town last Friday.

• Mascots: Booneville Bearcats; Ozark Hillbillies
• When: 7 pm, September 6, at Doug Scheel Field at Bearcat Stadium
• Series: Booneville leads 55-27-4 (0.663)
• Streak: Booneville has won last 4
• Last Meeting: Booneville 48 Ozark 35 on September 1, 2023
• First Meeting: Booneville 45 Ozark 0 on November 6, 1924
• Conference Affiliations: Booneville is 3A-1; Ozark is 4A-4

TODAY IN BEARCAT FOOTBALL HISTORY: The Bearcats are 6-3 all time in games documented to have been played on September 6. Included in that count is a game in Mena in 2002 in which the sportsmanship, or mercy, rule was available for the first time and the Bearcats executed it for the first time that same night as Kyle Arnold had a 75-yard run as part of a 221-yard rushing night. Arnold added an 84-yard kickoff return in a 57-21 beat-down of the then only other Bearcats in the state.

In Bearcat Stadium’s inaugural game against Charleston in 1968 the Bearcats got an interception return from Ted Short and a fumble return from Buddy Goodwin. Also of note on September 6, in 2013 Bryson May ran for 163 yards and Josh Smith returned a punt 82 yards for a touchdown in a 49-14 win over Ozark, and in 1974 Daniel Leslie three touchdown passes in a 30-0 win over Charleston.

NOTES: Last Friday’s win was the 13th straight dating back to last season. It marks the 10th time of a streak of at least a baker’s dozen for the program. The win over Poteau brought the Bearcat program mark to 6-6 against the Sooner state. It was the first time an Oklahoma school played in Bearcat Stadium, and the first time one was in the city since 1957, with that school also being Poteau.

THE 3A-1: Conference 3A-1 was 3-3 last week with the Bearcats beating Poteau 14-10, Hackett beating Danville 20-0, and Cedarville beating Magazine 14-0. Mansfield lost 35-31 to Bismarck, Lavaca lost 8-0 to Dover, and Greenland lost 47-20 to Lincoln. Charleston and West Fork were open.

Besides Ozark at Booneville, this week’s schedule features Charleston at Pottsville, Mansfield vs Waldron, Lavaca vs Paris, West Fork vs Lincoln, and Cedarville at Mountainburg. Hackett and Greenland are open.

THEME: The pep rally theme is Super Heroes.