Booneville High School - Reveille Yearbook (Booneville, AR)

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State — Champs Rusty McDonald and Clint Watson accept their hard earned AA State Championship trophy from Lamar Cole, the executive direc- tor of the Arkansas Activities Association. Chuck Swafford and a Beaver trainer help Rusty McDonald off the field. Paul Smith turns to Eric Jones and says, Hey EJ, let's flatten this dude! 38 Run that by me again

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Steve Armer and Rusty McDonald get in a good block against Greenwood. Frank Johnson hands off to Ricky May in hope of a first down. Football: Is it worth the pain? Sports teaches participants disci- pline, responsibility, sports- manship, and respect for fellow players. For all the benefits sports provides for its partici- pants, it is not without draw- backs. But is it worth the pain? Is it worth the chance of getting hurt? After all of those hot August days of practicing, and the thought of starting the football season, Jacky Young, B-team quarterback, broke his leg in the first B-game September 7, against Paris. A Paris defender speared Jacky from the side and flipped him. Jacky realized that he had broken his leg the minute he hit the ground. 1 heard it pop, he said. “I looked up at the official and asked for an official's time out. The official just glared at me and finally blew his whistle. After a four day hospital stay, Jacky wore a cast nine and a half weeks, before promoting to the brace stage and physical ther- apy. He continued physical ther- apy until he could lift forty pounds with his weak leg. De- spite all of these setbacks , Jacky still wants to play football next year. A little magic After losing several talented sen- iors from the '85 State Runner-up team, this was to be a rebuilding year. When we lost to Ozark's fired-up team 28-6, everyone sighed and said, Well it had to happen some- time. The following week's loss to Huntsville shocked everyone. The district crown was slipping out of our grasp. I thought we'd blown our chance, Rusty McDonald commented. But the Cats bounced back; the Bearcat defense held five teams scoreless. It was just a little magic that started in the Greenwood game, Coach Scheel said. The Cats rolled over Mansfield, Waldron, Subaico, and Paris to gain the con- ference crown and a berth in the AA state playoffs. The Cats headed to Berryville for the first round playoff game. Not expected to win, they buried Berry- ville, 20-0. There was no time to rest as they were to meet Junction City at home next. Junction City, rated number one going into the game, was picked favorite by many sportsw- riters to win the state champion- ship. But the Dragons hadn't met Booneville's defense yet. I knew if our defense could hold Meadows, we would win, said Otto Fry. The defense held the state's leading rusher, who had averaged over 200 yards, to just 135 yards. A Frank Johnson pitch to Paul Smith was converted into a touchdown. The Cats squeaked by Junction City 6-0 and earned a chance to meet Pres- cott in the semi-finals. Plastered across the Prescott end- zone was a sign proclaiming 10-9 NOT THIS TIME, referring to'our win in the '85 semi-finals. Their prophecy came true. It was not 10-9 this time. Our swarming defense held the vaunted Prescott passing attack to a field goal while the Bear- cats' offense scored 30 points. These touchdowns were the first to be scored on Prescott's home field by an opponent since the 1985 semi-final. The rebuilding process was obviously complete. What had begun in August as an untried group of eager young men had de- veloped into a fierce competitive team that was convinced that they could win the AA championship. A little magic 37

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 )?t Cinderella team brings home state crown ”■ We're number one! We're number one! echoed throughout War Me- morial Stadium. Three thousand fans, band members, cheerleaders, team members, coaches joined in celebrating a first, the AA State Championship. The Bearcats had overpowered the tricky single-wing offense of the Lake Village Beavers, 42-13. The margin of victory was the most by a AA team since the current playoff format was instat- ed, and 42 points was the most scored by a team in any classifica- tion in the playoffs since 1977. Completing a 12-2 year, the Cats were ranked sixth in the state, the highest earned by a AA team ever. The Bearcats entered this game as underdogs. This was nothing new. Throughout the play-offs, they were picked to lose. Football prog- nosticators always said our oppo- nent was just too big and too fast for us. Only time would tell. Receiving the kick-off, the Bearcats made two first downs before being forced to punt. Lake Village marched inside the 30 where they fumbled the football. The ball rolled to the Bearcats 41 before be- ing recovered by Barry Catlett. Three plays later, Frank Johnson found John White over the middle Mr. Bailey shows a smile of approval as he looks at the scoreboard at War Memorial Stadium. No, Ricky May isn't giving the official a high five, he's tossing him the ball. for the first touchdown of the game. Rusty McDonald's two- point conversion was good giving Bonneville an 8-0 lead. Later in the first quarter. Lake Vil- lage breached the Bearcats 10 yard line. One the option play, the Bea- vers fumbled the ball. Gary Simp- son picked up the loose ball and raced 86 yards for the score. The two point conversion., j ass from Johnson (io BooneviUe Watson pushed the lead to 16-bJFollowing a Bearcat fumble late in the second quarter. Lake Village scored to make the half-time score ,16-7 Bearcats. Although Bormeville4ed, Lake Village had actually dominat- ed the statistics. They had over a hundred yardsj shmgTn-th first half comparedlto Bonneyillfils O. Nearly every stat favored Lake Vil- lage. But the Bearcats led the stat that counted most, the score. The Bearcats began the second half just as they ended the first-with tough 'D'. Barry Catlett intercepted a Lake Village pass that he returned to the 4 to set up the Bearcats third Barry Catlett tells the Beavers that the Bear- cats are number one! Ty Hampton listens intently as Coach Scheel explains the next play. sgore. Later in the third quarter, Kicky May set up yet another score with a 40 yard scamper up the mid- dle, which put the ball inside the Lake Village 20. Four plays later. May capped off the drive with a 9- yard touchdown run. The third quarter ended with the score 28-13. Lake Village would score no more points. But the Bearcats, who had waited a full year for this, scored twice more in the fourth quarter. The 42-13 victory was the icing on the cake after three play-off wins. The Bearcats defied the odds in winning their first state champion- ship. This team that was missing a legitimate super star marched its way to the state game with just guts, leadership, and fan support. So it was indeed a Cinderella year for Bonneville, who was expected to go nowhere. The little magic that got started in the Greenwood game lasted until the bewitching hour in War Memorial Stadium that Satur- day night in December. The cheer- leader's banner summed it up. It said, Cinderella is having a ball. Cinderella did indeed have a ball. AA state champs 39