BEULAH — The Beulah Bobcats held firm in a nailbiter as they beat Montgomery for the first time since 1995 in 27-26 grudge match. The Bobcats currently sit at 3-0 on the season.

The only way to describe the Beulah sideline was euphoric. Once the last horn sounded players and coaches all alike leaped into each other’s arms showered by the adulation from the Bobcat faithful. In their second home game of the year, they didn’t disappoint.

“When everything was on the line there at the and the last play had to be made we went out and made it,” a breathless head coach Cody Flournoy said. 

On Montgomery Academy’s last drive of the game, not one person in the stands was sitting. The game was at 27-20 with Beulah leading but far from comfortable. The Eagles had just come off a huge fourth-down stand on defense that if it had gone the other way would have cost them the game.

The fortunes turned in their favor though. After a sack from Beulah’s standout middle linebacker, Caden Dowdell, on first down the Eagles were able to put together a strike in the end zone making it a one-point game. As they line up to kick an extra point a Bobcat encroached, effectively putting them a yard closer to the end zone. That changed everything.

Montgomery lined up again, but this time with their starting offense. Beulah’s home crowd was deafening at this point as everyone anticipated the snap. The Eagles went for the QB sneak yet as coach Flournoy put it “they got no push.”

Nose tackle Hunter Bryant got the call-up from coach to go in on the pivotal play and he delivered. The Bobcats came away with the victory.

“I thought we could do it,” Coach Flournoy said. “Just to get there and the way we won it I’m so excited for these guys and this community. They deserve it.”

Running back and linebacker, Caden Dowdell, was everywhere for the Bobcats. The only thing he didn’t do for them was kick. By the end of the game, he totaled three touchdowns, 144 rushing yards, and a sack. On offense, he always seemed to find a way when his team called on him bulldozing over every player in white in his path.

“I looked at the boys who were working hard for me and I had to let them know I got their back,” Dowdell said.

Coach Flournoy had nothing but praise for his player when asked how much he helps the team.

“I mean you see him,” Flournoy said. “He was gassed. Early on he was running through folks and then late in the game he was still flying around at linebacker. A guy like that is special.”

Nothing but smiles all around in Beulah.