By Wil Crews
sportscrews@opelikaobserver.com
Last Friday, after missing the season opener due to the coronavirus, Beulah Head Coach Matthew Johnson was back on the sideline to lead his team in an away game versus the Montgomery Catholic Knights.
This was the Bobcats’ second game of the season as they were unable to play for the first three weeks due to coronavirus issues affecting the whole team. The lost practice time obviously hurt the Bobcats, and even with the return of Johnson to the sideline, they lost their second game of the year, falling 41-7 to the Knights.
Productive plays were scarce for the Bobcats on Friday. Beulah’s passing game never really got going – a byproduct of play style and the formidable Knights defense. Running back/linebacker Jacori Tarver was the only Bobcat to score (a rushing touchdown) as the rest of the team was held to negative yardage when rushing. The Bobcats finished with just 19 yards of offense compared to Montgomery Catholic’s 307, while Tarver ran for 41 yards on eight carries. That said, the best performances from Beulah players came on the defensive side of the ball. Sophomore linebacker Caleb Burton had a team-high 7 tackles, one for loss, and junior linebacker Jace Hancock made an impact play when he blocked a Knights’ extra point.
The Knights dominated the game from the opening kickoff. The Bobcats trailed 35-0 by half-time. Montgomery Catholic quarterback Caleb McCreary went 9/10 for 194 yards and five touchdowns. Senior Knight’s receiver D.J. Carter was a menace against the Bobcat corners all night long. He finished with five catches for 96 yards, hauling in three touchdowns in the process.
The Beulah Bobcats are now 0-2 and solely at the bottom of the Region 4 standings. They have a good opportunity to regroup on a bye next week. The Bobcats will take the field again on Oct. 1 as they look to get their first win in a regional away game versus the Childersburg Tigers. The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. CST at 122 Fay S Dr. Childersburg, Alabama, 35044.