There are a lot of banners hanging behind the home bleachers at Coach Dudley Hilton Field on Log Mountain to honor district, regional and state champions. This year’s version of the Bell County Bobcats did battle with the East Carter Raiders to earn a regional championship banner to hang of their own.
Behind a record-breaking performance by the nation’s leading rusher, Daniel Thomas, the Bobcats were able to do just that by defeating East Carter 38-36 in overtime. With his 286-yard rushing performance and his four touchdowns and four two-point conversions,,Thomas became the record holder in Kentucky for rushing yards in a single season and also the all-time leading scorer for a single season.
During his record-setting season, there haven’t been many quarters played where teams held Thomas without a score. East Carter did just that Friday in the opening quarter. However, Thomas exploded in the second quarter. He scored on the first play of two consecutive drives with touchdown runs of 64 and 61 yards. He also added the two two-point conversions pushing Bell out to a 16-0 lead. Sandwiches between the two touchdown runs was an outstanding defensive stand by Bell County. East Carter drove the ball deep into Bell territory but a sack on fourth down by Hayden Damron ended the scoring threat.
The visiting Raiders had their backs to the wall. They had to fight to stay in the game and they fought back hard. They scored the next 22 points in the game. Running back Landon Yoak scored two rushing touchdowns during the run from 9 yards and 1 yard, respectively. Jared Potter and Gabe Roberts added the conversions on receptions from quarterback Quentin Johnson. Wide receiver Michael Hall scored the next touchdown on a 23 yard reception from Johnson giving the Raiders a 22-16 lead.
Quarterback Blake Burnett tied the game with a 1-yard quarterback sneak that was set up by a 46-yard reception by Kaleb Miller on the previous play. The conversion failed leaving the score tied at that point.
East Carter did not give in despite Bell County taking back the momentum. The Raiders marched down the field and Potter hauled in a f4-yard pass from Johnson. Johnson then found Roberts on a fade route to put the Raiders ahead by eight.
Things looked bleak for Bell with just over three minutes left but Hilton turned to Thomas and he delivered. He carried the ball on every play on Bell’s final drive of regulation and it paid off when Thomas scored on a 36-yard play and also added the two running behind his punishing offensive line. The score was tied 30-30.
East Carter had a final chance to end it in regulation, but a Johnson pass with one second left fell short, sending the game into overtime.
The Raiders got the ball first and gave it Yoak on all three overtime plays and he punched it in to give East the six-point lead. East went to the air to get the two but Thomas sacked Johnson to stop the play.
Bell followed the same formula in overtime as it did the end the game. The Bobcats gave it to Thomas behind Brayden Dunn on the right side and on third down and two Thomas delivered. He scored on the same play to get the two and clinch the regional title for Bell County.
“Anytime you can win a regional. It has to be special and it sure was for our football team. I thought Daniel played very good. I thought he had some good luck and also I was proud of my whole team, ” Hilton stated after winning the championship and presenting Thomas with the game ball.
“Breaking the record is a surreal feeling and it really hasn’t sank in yet,” Thomas said. “I couldn’t do it with out the support of my family and teammates. I am stoked to have established myself in history, but I would be wrong if I didn’t give all credit to my O-line and lead blockers.”
Miller had eight yards rushing to add to Thomas’s total. Blake Evans contributed seven. Burnett was able to rush for four yards and pass for 72. Those passing yards went to Miller for 63 receiving yards and Evans for eleven.
Thomas and Evans each had 13 tackles to lead the Bobcat defense.
East Carter was led by Yoak, who had a big night with 170 yards on 36 carries. Johnson had 100 yards passing.
Bell County (12-1) will travel to play upstart Hart County, which just won its first ever regional title, for a chance to play at Kroger Field in the state finals on Dec. 3.
Scoring Summary
| Third Quarter |
BCHS |
ECHS |
|
|
TD |
1 Yd Run (Two-Point Conversion) |
16 |
16 |
|
|
TD |
29 Yd Pass (Failed Two-Point Conversion) |
16 |
22 |
| Fourth Quarter |
BCHS |
ECHS |
|
|
TD |
Blake Burnett 1 Yd Run (Failed Two-Point Conversion) |
22 |
22 |
|
|
TD |
4 Yd Pass (Two-Point Conversion) |
22 |
30 |
|
|
TD |
Daniel Thomas 36 Yd Run (Daniel Thomas Run For Two-Point Conversion) |
30 |
30 |
| Overtime |
BCHS |
ECHS |
|
|
TD |
5 Yd Run (Failed Two-Point Conversion) |
30 |
36 |
|
|
TD |
Daniel Thomas 2 Yd Run (Failed Two-Point Conversion) |
36 |
36 |
