By HARRISON TARR
FOR THE OBSERVER
For fans of the Beulah High School Bobcats, the 2021 season has been a test of dedication. With a young team constructed with just a handful of seniors, head coach Matt Johnson has focused on being competitive and developing his guys in each game. When his squad took the field in Goshen, Alabama on Friday night, the black and gold got a taste of what its future might feel like as the Bobcats downed the hometown Eagles 42-6.
From his squad’s first defensive possession, it was clear that the Bobcats had come to play. The black and gold forced its opponent to punt and presented quarterback Noah Hidgon and company with the opportunity to strike first.
The junior did not let the opportunity slip away and connected with freshman receiver Demarion Foreman on a 49-yard touchdown strike, giving the Bobcats an early 7-0 lead.
JBehind yet another strong defensive showing, the Beulah offense was able to build upon its lead in the second period of play. Higdon connected with senior running back T.J. Washington for his second passing touchdown of the evening; sophomore running back Jacori Tarver seized his opportunity to find paydirt from 4-yard out on the ground on the ensuing possession.
The Bobcats lead their opponents 21-0 at the half.
From kickoff of the final half, it became apparent that the black and gold were not done excelling on either side of the ball. Johnson’s defense continued its trend of shutting the Eagle offense down and giving the ball back to the Bobcat offense, where Washington was hungry to find paydirt again.
The senior did so via a 68-yard rushing touchdown on first-and-long.
Beulah’s running attack was not finished with its scoring tear; Hindon tucked the ball and punched in a short-yardage touchdown for his team’s second touchdown of the third quarter.
From there, Foreman took his turn to carry the rock 30-yards to the endzone on the Bobcat’s first possession of the fourth quarter, pushing his squad’s advantage to 42-0.
On the ensuing Goshen possession, the Eagles marched their way down the field and found paydirt through the air, cutting the score to 42-6 and effectively ending the Bobcat shutout bid.
Nonetheless, Johnson was still proud of his defense’s efforts on Friday.
Higdon, Washington, Johnson and the rest of the Bobcats now redirect their attention to Friday’s home contest with Tigers of Dadeville (5-3). Kickoff between the two region foes will be at 7 p.m. CST.