Bearcats dominate West Ouachita

WEST OUACHITA – Ruston capitalized on early mistakes from West Ouachita and scored at will in a convincing 48-6 win over the Chiefs on Friday.

The Bearcats (8-0, 3-0 district) scored on its first five drives with the first team offense, while starting linebacker Jadon Mayfield and Zheric Hill recovered early fumbles to keep all the momentum on the visitor’s sideline throughout the first half.

“I think our kids did exactly what it is that we wanted to do and that’s what we talked about all week is to make sure we came out mentally prepared to execute our gameplan and I thought early on that’s what we did,” Ruston head coach Jerrod Baugh said postgame.

“Traditionally, West Ouachita has done a very good job inside with our running game controlling that so the plan going was to spread it out a bit and they gave us some things in the throwing game. I thought the coaches did a really good job putting the game plan together to get the ball moving and get it in the endzone. We got a couple turnovers early on and that’s when it got it out of whack early on, but I was pleased that our kids got out there and pretty much executed what we wanted to do.”

Ruston’s passing game came out with downfield shots, with quarterback Josh Brantley hitting Logan Malone for a 52-yard strike, along with a post route attempt to Jamar Woods. Brantley only completed four passes but finished with 104 yards and a passing touchdown to Joran Parker just before halftime.

When Brantley and his receivers weren’t busy clicking for big plays, Jordan Hayes feasted in the run game for 164 and 2 touchdowns – including a 50-yard burst with West Ouachita defenders unable to bring him down.

Brantley had three carries for 35 yards, including a 27-yard touchdown run on 4th down inside the red-zone. Brantley has three rushing scores in his last three games.

After Lander Smith got the night started with a short-yardage touchdown, the Chiefs fumbled the ball away on their second possession – recovered by Jadon Mayfield to set up the rushing score from Brantley.

West Ouachita’s ball security issues continued on the very next drive with Zheric Hill forcing and recovering a fumble to set up a 9-yard touchdown from Jordan Hayes to make it 20-0.

Shortly after, Hill scored his own rushing touchdown from 1-yard out to make it 27-0 with 39 seconds left in the first quarter.

Brantley punched in his second rushing touchdown of the night to give the Bearcats a 34-0 lead before the second-team defense allowed West Ouachita to score its only touchdown of the night.

Seeing the score getting even marginally closer, Ruston brought out the first team offense and scored with 16 seconds left in the half to make it 41-6 on a 20-yard touchdown pass from Brantley to Joran Parker. Hayes would punch in another score to make it 48-6 in the third.

After the score, the Bearcats’ defense forced a punt – the Chiefs’ fifth of the night, but would soon find themselves in the midst of a scrum after the play was over.

Multiple Bearcats were flagged for being involved in the melee, with the running clock still in effect to effectively take up five minutes of clock and end the third quarter.

Baugh said postgame Zheric Hill, Aidan Anding and Semaj Jones will not play next Friday against Ouachita.

“I don’t really know exactly what transpired as far as what caused a couple of altercations and I thought we did a decent job as coaches keeping everybody on the sideline,” Baugh said. “I can’t point fingers. Here’s what I know from my perspective is our kids need to do a better job of controlling themselves, regardless of who’s at fault. It doesn’t make any difference.”

No. 4 Ruston hosts Ouachita next Friday for Senior Night at James Field at Hoss Garrett Stadium.