HUBBLE, BEARCATS HUMBLE LAVACA

The final was 40-6 but it was the defense that powered the Booneville Junior High Bearcats to a Conference 3A-1 opening win at Bearcat Stadium Thursday night.

Braxton Hubble (shown, 67) was in the middle of all of it. His first snap on defense resulted in a safety and a 2-0 lead.

With the score 18-0 in the second quarter Hubble forced a fumble that Dalton Schmidt collected and returned 46 yards for a touchdown.

Hubble finished with four solo tackles including a sack in addition to his plays resulting in eight points.

If that were not enough Hubble also pushed a punter defender into a punt for a block that was recovered by Kyler Carter.

Laythen Shaffer and Ayden Rhinehart also had quarterback sacks for a unit that held Lavaca to minus 9 yards of offense and one first down in the first half.

Following the safety, which came after the Bearcats (4-0, 1-0 Conference 3A-1) turned the ball over at the Golden Arrow 1-yard line, Callen Montalvo returned the kickoff 28 yards to the Arrow 33 and the Bearcats took four plays to score on offense.

Hayden Daniel scored on a run of 23 yards and Montalvo added the first of four straight two-point conversions and it was 10-0.

Daniel would lead the Bearcats with 76 yards on six carries.

Before the first quarter had ended it was 18-0 as Drake Brackney ran 16 yards for a touchdown.

Lavaca slowed the Bearcats enough for a turnover on downs on their next possession but following the blocked punt the Bearcats drove in for another score.

Sadler Miller, who ran for 62 yards on seven carries, got the touchdown from 6 yards out and it was 34-0 with 29 seconds left in the half.

Out of a lengthy stoppage for an injury with 610 left in the quarter Lavaca punted and the Bearcats kept the ball for the rest of the quarter, ultimately scoring on a 3-yard Caiden Poore run with 7:56 to play that made it 40-0.

Lavaca scored on a 30-yard run midway through the final quarter to set the final.

The Bearcats will be on the road next week at Cedarville. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.