Bobcats hang on to win region thriller over Oakman
The Phil Campbell Bobcats fought off a furious late-game comeback by the Oakman Bulldogs to secure a nail-biting 36-30 victory in their home opener.
The win marks the first of the season for the Bobcats (1-2, 1-0), and an important one to kick off their region schedule.
The game started with the Bobcats seizing momentum early. On their first possession, Hayston Scott broke free for a 13-yard touchdown run, followed by a successful two-point conversion run by Braxton Downey to give Phil Campbell an 8-0 lead.
Oakman quickly responded with a touchdown of their own on the ensuing drive, tying the game.
The Bulldogs took the lead early in the second quarter, making the score 16-8. However, the Bobcats quickly answered, tying the game at 16 with 8:27 left in the half when Downey punched it in from five yards out. Scott connected with Austin Elliott on the two-point conversion pass to knot the score.
The Bobcats offense began to find its rhythm in the second half. Downey added another touchdown run with 8:13 left in the third quarter to give Phil Campbell a 22-16 lead.
Hayston Scott scores Bobcats first touchdown.
Phil Campbell then appeared to put the game away early in the fourth quarter when Downey scored on a one-yard run and also ran in the twopoint conversion, extending the lead to 30-16. With 9:11 remaining, Downey again found the endzone on an explosive 39-yard run up the middle, giving the Bobcats a seemingly insurmountable 36-16 lead.
But the Bulldogs would not quit. Oakman scored with five minutes to go, cutting the lead to 36-22. The ensuing onside kick was recovered by the Bulldogs, who then scored again to bring the score to a one-possession game, 36-30, with 2:36 remaining. In a moment that put the entire Phil Campbell faithful on edge, Oakman recovered yet another onside kick, giving them a chance to win the game on the final drive.
The Bobcats’ defense, however, rose to the occasion when it mattered most. With the game on the line, the defense came up with some clutch plays, sending the Bulldogs backwards and securing the crucial region victory.
The Bobcats offense was dominant for most of the night, amassing 435 yards of total offense, including a punishing 314 yards on the ground. Phil Campbell’s defense held Oakman to just 246 total yards.
Leading the charge for the Bobcats was quarterback Scott, who carried the ball 18 times for 159 yards and a touchdown while also completing 10 of 12 passes for 121 yards. Downey was a workhorse, carrying the ball 22 times for 134 yards and four touchdowns.
Jayden Taylor runs ball for Bobcats.
Five different receivers caught passes for the Bobcats, with Elliott leading the way with five catches for 54 yards.
On defense, Chandler Benford led the team with 10 tackles, while Ethan Hallman and Cody Sneed each added eight tackles.
The Bobcats will look to build on their momentum next Friday as they travel to Winfield.
