Bobcats edge rival Red Bay, 46-38
The Phil Campbell Bobcats delivered a thrilling, last-minute treat on Halloween night, defeating their fierce rival, the Red Bay Tigers, 46-38 in a nail-biting showdown Friday.
In what became a highoctane battle of offenses, the Bobcats secured their second consecutive win over the Tigers, heading into the AHSAA playoffs with crucial momentum.
The game pitted an 8-1 Red Bay squad against a 5-4 Phil Campbell team, but the records were quickly tossed out as the teams traded punches from the opening whistle.
Bobcats quarterback and running back Hayston Scott turned in one of the best individual performances of the season. Scott was unstoppable on the ground, carrying the ball 18 times for 233 yards and four rushing touchdowns. He was equally effective through the air, completing nine passes for 174 yards and three additional touchdowns.
Phil Campbell jumped out to an early 26-14 halftime lead on the strength of four rushing scores: a 23-yard burst from Braxton Downey in the first quarter, followed by three electrifying runs from Scott (46, 3, and 23 yards).
Red Bay kept pace primarily through the efforts of Jaxson Vinson, who had a 51-yard scoring run to close out the first half. He ended the night with 116 yards on 11 carries.
The second half became a true back-and-forth contest. Red Bay quarterback Jeremiah Thorne led the charge, running for two of his three total touchdowns to cut the Bobcats’ lead. After Thorne’s two-yard score late in the fourth, the Tigers faced a desperate situation, down 32-30 with the clock winding down.
Red Bay’s Jaxson Vinson sprints away from Phil Campbell defense.
The big moment of the game came when Red Bay executed a daring hookand- lateral play on fourth down, moving the chains deep into Bobcats territory. Jeremiah Thorne capped the drive with a three-yard run and Joshua Thorne added the two-point conversion to tie the game 38-38 with just 2:49 remaining.
With the clock ticking and overtime looming, Scott orchestrated the defining drive.
Facing pressure, Scott dropped the snap, scooped up the ball, and scrambled out of the pocket before launching a 34-yard pass to Austin Elliott in the endzone for the go-ahead score. Scott then punched in the two-point conversion himself, giving the Bobcats the 46-38 lead.
Scott accounted for every single point scored by the Bobcats in the victory.
On the receiving end of Scott’s passes, Hagen Raper and Logan Cooper also secured touchdown catches during the offensive explosion.
Defensively, the Bobcats delivered crucial stops when they needed them most. Cody Snead led the team with 10 tackles, supported by Ethan Hallman and Keaton Baker who each recorded eight. Hagen Raper anchored the secondary with a critical interception in the end zone to prevent an earlier Red Bay score.
Despite the loss, Red Bay (8-2) will still host a first-round playoff game against Sand Rock. Phil Campbell (6-4) will hit the road to face Piedmont.
