BALL BOUNCES FORDYCE'S WAY FRIDAY

Three times with the Bearcats leading 26-20 Friday night Fordyce survived the football being loose on the turf of Paul "Bear" Bryant Stadium.

One of the potential turnovers became a game tying touchdown and the Redbugs went on to a 34-26 win that ended the Bearcats season in the Class 3A quarterfinals.

The first fumble came on the kickoff following a fourth touchdown run by Hunter Warren – the fullback ran 32 times for 193 yards – that made it 26-20 with 3:23 left in the third quarter.

Oliver Loaeza’s kickoff was fielded and subsequently fumbled during the return due to a hit by Dakota Mattson, but the Redbugs (13-0) were able to recover.

The ensuing possession would include a combined three penalties by the teams before the Bearcats (11-2) would hold on downs on a Mattson tackle after a reception one yard short of a first down with 1:15 to go in the quarter.

Over the remaining time in the quarter the Bearcats moved the chains once and began the final quarter with a first down at their 40-yard line, but they were unable to complete a drive and had to punt with 9:48 to play.

The punt rolled dead at the Redbug 16 and on the next play the Redbugs coughed up the ball again with Cutler Haller recovering.

However a penalty, which was signaled as an illegal shift, preceded the play and the Redbugs retained possession.

After four plays Fordyce was at its 32 and faced a third-and-9 when a pass completion behind the line of scrimmage was followed by a fumble caused by Seth Wilson.

Unfortunately the Redbug quarterback collected the loose ball scrambled to his left and went 71 yards for a touchdown to tie the game at 26-26 with 8:02 to play.

Wilson blew up a 2-point conversion try to keep it tied.

The Bearcats earned a pair of first downs on the ensuing possession before a false start put them behind the chains and they eventually punted the ball away with 3:30 remaining.

A quick striking offense throughout the night, Fordyce became deliberate over 10 plays, twice converting on third down and once on fourth, then had a runner get free for a 31-yard touchdown with 11.5 seconds to play.

Though there had been scores on the game’s first six possessions, that gave Fordyce its first lead of the night and a successful 2-point conversion made it 34-26.

The Bearcats had started the game with a scoring possession that lasted 6:20 ending with a 1-yard run by Warren but Fordyce blocked the PAT try to keep it 6-0.

The Redbugs then tied the game three plays later on a 71-yard run. Damari Poole and Haller prevented a conversion run to keep it a 6-6 game.

A seven play Bearcat drive made it 13-6. Warren again got the touchdown on a run of 8 yards and Loaeza added the PAT with 47.5 seconds left in the opening quarter.

Fordyce would again answer with a backfield completion and run of 15 yards with 9:44 to play in the first half but Haller again disrupted the 2-point try to keep it 13-12.

The Bearcats kept the ball until the 4:40 mark of the second quarter and went in front 20-12 on a 9-yard Warren run and Loaeza PAT.

It would be short lived because Fordyce got a 64-yard run immediately after the kickoff and tied it with a 2-point conversion and there was still 4:25 left in the half.

The Redbugs then got the first defensive stop of the night and proceeded to march deep into Bearcat territory only to fumble the ball at the Bearcat 3 with Aiden Fox making a recovery.

The Bearcats started the second half by forcing a Fordyce punt – Wilson had one of his two sacks to help force the issue – then went 63 yards to a 15-yard Warren touchdown run to make it 26-20 with 3:23 left in the third quarter.

Fordyce moves on to face Bismarck, who beat Osceola Friday, in next week’s semifinal round. Both teams are unbeaten.