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By Pat Cole
pcole@mckenziebanner.com |
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Bethel’s Wildcats gained a huge 33-21 victory over
Lambuth’s Eagles Saturday afternoon as they celebrated
homecoming at Rebel Stadium. The Cats led for most of
the game and used good defense against a strong Lambuth
offense.
Local fans were treated as they were able to see former
players from McKenzie, West Carroll, Huntingdon and
Hollow Rock-Bruceton on the field. Lambuth had two
players who have made the transition from high school to
college effectively. Quarterback Rick Sturdivant (15 of
28 for 221 yards and two interceptions) has passed for
more than 1,000 as the Eagles leader this year (with a
93-yard touchdown against the Cats) and Josh Wolfe (11
tackles, five unassisted), who played both sides of the
ball at West Carroll a few years ago, has become the
leading tackler for the Eagles in 2004, a fact which was
evident during the Bethel contest as well.
For the Wildcats, Huntingdon’s Terrance Bell (8 carries,
17 yards) carried the ball effectively several times as
he shared time with Adrian Smith (15 carries, 49 yards).
Former Rebel Josh Stenberg (three tackles, two
unassisted) garnered a safety (Bethel’s second) in the
victory and West Carroll’s Kevin Taylor (one tackle,
unassisted) was again prominent on the defensive line.
For the most part, Bethel took care of business
throughout the game while the Eagles were plagued with
numerous penalties.
Lambuth received the opening offensive opportunity, but
a strong Bethel defensive effort held them to nine total
yards on the ground and they punted the ball.
Bell took the opening effort for the Cats at their own
48-yard line (stopped by Wolfe), but his gain was
negated on a motion penalty. Quarterback Brent Dearmon
passed the ball to Antonio Brown for a first down at the
Lambuth 34. Smith ran for nine while Jeff Nix picked up
the first down at the 22. Once again, Bell got the nod
and the Cats a penalty. Smith was caught in the
backfield for a 10-yard loss and Dearmon took the air,
passing the ball to Demareo O’Neal with Wolfe on the
tackle and Bethel nine yards short of a first down.
Keith Ostermann came in to attempt a field goal, kicked
it 37 yards through the uprights and at the 9:20 mark of
the first period, the Cats held a 3-0 advantage.
Ostermann’s kick went into the end zone and was fielded
by Eagle Brandon Jacobs. He hesitated about leaving, but
decided to make a run and was caught at the 13 by Justin
Cobb. The Eagles Kevin Haynes tried to run the ball
twice and was held to only seven yards. Sturdivant’s
third down pass was batted down by Stenberg.
Bethel began their next possession at their own 42. Bell
picked up a yard, Dearmon passed to Eric Harris and a
penalty on the Eagles moved the ball down to their
25-yard line. Dearmon then found Mario Merriwether for
the Cats first touchdown of the afternoon at the 6:32
mark and Ostermann’s PAT was good as Bethel took a 10-0
lead.
Sturdivant began the Eagles next series with a completed
pass to Tim LeBeau for a 19-yard gain. A second pass to
Chris Haliburton brought a first down at the 46. Haynes
was held for a yard two passes were incomplete to end
the Eagle threat.
The Cats managed to gain two first downs in their next
possession, but ultimately had to punt and Lambuth
(after a penalty) took over at their own nine and gained
only four yards as the first quarter ended. They punted
on the first play of the second period, but a bad snap
had the punter chasing the ball into the end zone and
O’Neal hitting him for the safety. Bethel took a 12-0
lead at the 14:44 mark.
After the free kick went out of bounds, Bethel took over
at their own 45. The possession was short and Bethel
punted. Lambuth was also held to three and out and
Bethel had to punt again after gaining only five total
yards. Finally at the 7:04 mark, the Eagles took
possession for a score. On first down, Haynes was
stopped by Ricky Goff and Terran Bell for a loss, but
Sturdivant took the ball, passed it long downfield to
Steve Cross and at the 6:38 mark, Cross reached the end
zone and Lambuth had six. The kick by Evan Granier was
good and Bethel now led 12-7.
Neither team had much success from that point on,
although Bethel got within shot of another field goal
attempt, this one blocked by John Thompson. At
intermission the Cats maintained a 12-7 advantage.
Merriwether took the opening kickoff of the second half
and returned the ball down to the Lambuth 39, but
ultimately Ostermann punted and Lambuth took over at its
own three-yard line. Haynes gained some yardage, but a
penalty moved the ball back to the two. Haynes then
broke through to the right, rushed the ball deep into
Bethel territory and was stopped by Terran Bell. A
personal foul penalty against the Cats placed the ball
at the eight and two runs later, Haynes had the
touchdown at the 12:13 mark. The Eagles opted for two
and the pass to Thompson was good, giving Lambuth a
15-12 edge over Bethel.
After gaining a first down, Ostermann punted the ball
and O’Neal was at the three to stop it before it entered
the end zone. Two plays later, Stenburg caught Brandon
Jacobs in the end zone for Bethel’s second safety of the
day and narrowed the margin to a single point, 15-14
with just over 10 minutes remaining in the third period.
Aided by a face mask and personal foul penalty against
the Eagles, Bethel drove the ball deep into Eagle
territory. With a fourth and three facing them, they
opted for a 31-yard field goal attempt, but it was wide
and Lambuth continued to lead by one and took over at
their own 14-yard line.
Lambuth’s next possession was also plagued by penalties
and ultimately they punted on a fourth and 11. The punt
was blocked by Desmond Campbell and Shannaan Dawda
recovered the ball in the end zone for a Bethel
touchdown at the 3:15 mark of the third period. Bethel
attempted a two-point conversion which was batted down
and now led 20-15.
Bethel’s good fortune continued as the short kick was
recovered by the Cats and they began an offensive
possession which took the remainder of the third period,
but after one play where Dearmon was sacked for a big
loss, the Cats punted the ball out at the 23-yard line.
Lambuth and Bethel swapped possessions twice and then
Lambuth took over at their own 20 with 7:27 remaining in
the game. On the first play, Sturdivant’s pass was
intercepted by Ben Carmack. Six plays later at the 4:59
mark, Dearmon’s pass to O’Neal was good for six and the
PAT blocked by Lambuth. Bethel now led 26-15.
Sturdivant again took to the air and Darren Adderly
intercepted for the Cats and returned the ball to the
15. Facing fourth and eight, Dearmon passed the ball to
Carmack for the touchdown at the 3:29 mark and
Ostermann’s kick was good to put the Cats up 33-15.
Lambuth then put together a solid offensive movement on
short passes as they tried to manage the time and
somehow gain a victory. Ultimately with six completions,
Sturdivant made the 80-yard trek to pay dirt on a
completion to Antonio Rhodes. The two-point conversion
pass was unsuccessful and Bethel now led 33-21.
The onsides kick was recovered by Lambuth, at the Bethel
49, but four failed passes later the Cats took over and
after Terrance Bell gained just over nine yards on two
carries, Dearmon converted on third and inches and then
took a knee to end the competition.