The Pilot Point Bearcats hosted the Callisburg Wildcats in their home opener Sept. 5, with the Bearcats taking the win 35-7.
The Bearcats dominated their opponent, generating almost 300 yards of total offense and 5 touchdowns in a contest that started late and ended early due to the severe weather in the area.
“We came out and played really well, from the opening kickoff and in all phases of the game,” said Chad Worrell, Pilot Point athletic director and head football coach. “We played well on offense, defense and special teams, and I was really pleased with that, especially with them having sat through that almost two-hour storm delay before the game. Sometimes you know you worry about them losing focus, but I thought we really came out focused.”
Severe weather conditions delayed the start of the game until 8:51 p.m., with both teams trading possessions until Pilot Point found the end zone when Bearcats quarterback Garrett Evans connected with fullback David Pickrel on a 40-yard touchdown pass.
After a successful extra point kick from Anthony Torres, the Bearcats led 7-0 midway through the first quarter.
On the ensuing drive, Callisburg gave the ball back to Pilot Point when Bearcats defensive back Lane Eft intercepted a pass, returning it to the Wildcat 11-yard line.
Bearcats running back Josh Chumley ran in Pilot Point’s second touchdown from 11 yards out, giving the Bearcats a 14-0 lead after the successful extra point kick.
The Wildcats responded by moving the ball to the Bearcats’ 5-yard line, but once again the Bearcats’ defense held, forcing Callisburg to turn the ball over on downs.
Pilot Point unleashed their running arsenal on a 15-play drive that ended with a 16-yard touchdown run by Chumley, extending the Bearcats’ lead to 21-0 as the game neared halftime.
The Wildcats finally got on the scoreboard on their next drive, cutting the Bearcats’ lead to 21-7 as the team entered the half.
The Bearcats wasted little time scoring in the second half, with Chumley running for a 54-yard touchdown, his third of the game, pushing Pilot Point’s lead back to three touchdowns early in the third quarter.
On the ensuing kickoff, Eft recovered a loose ball after it struck a Callisburg player, giving Pilot Point the possession on the Wildcats’ 25-yard line.
On the third play of the drive, Pickrel found the end zone from 13 yards out, making the score 35-7 in Pilot Point’s favor.
With about eight minutes left in the third quarter, the severe weather con- ditions returned, and the game was called after a meeting between coaches and officials.
“We’d already talked with Callisburg’s coaches before we went out, and decided if we had another delay, we were probably going to be done,” Worrell said. “We had a short, 10-minute halftime, and we knew the storm was building up again and going to come to us, so we got a couple of minutes in the third quarter, and we were notified that lightning was within range, and we called it as soon as we got the word.”
The Bearcats finished with 235 yards rushing on the night, with 144 yards from Chumley, and Worrell gave credit to the team’s blocking effort.
“We did whatever we wanted to do on the ground,” he said. “… It was a team effort, but I was really proud of the way our offensive line played against some bigger competition. They were really a lot [larger] than us, and despite giving up a lot of size on the line, our kids really executed up front.”
Pilot Point’s football program is off to one of the best starts in recent years, and Worrell said the team’s success is a result of the hard work the Bearcats have put in over the last year.
“They gained confidence throughout last [football] season as the year went on,” he said. “They gained confidence in the spring in our track program and all season in the weight room; that’s where those things happen, and it’s carried over into this season, and they’re focused on playing the best they can, executing the best they can and making plays to help us win. I always tell them, ‘You take care of the little things, and winning will take care of itself, so just go out and execute each play,’ and, right now, we’re playing well.”
Assistant editor Martin Edwards contributed to this report.
