BEARS MAUL PANTHERS, 43, 20
Bullard to end the season on the road against Canton on Friday
By Don Wallace

Bullard running back Geoff Dick (34) eludes a Brownsboro defender during Friday night competition at Panther Stadium. Brownsboro won the game by a 43-20 final.

Ricco Richards scored four touchdowns to lead the Brownsboro Bears to a 43-20 win over Bullard before a packed and chilly crowd at Panther Stadium.

The District 14-3A battle held Nov. 3 saw the Bears take a step toward the playoffs as the home-standing Panthers fell back in the standings. Richards had 150 yards rushing and 50 more a pass reception.

Bullard dominated the early going as they drove 55 yards on nine plays to score the first touchdown of the game.

Taking over at their own 45 following a Brownsboro punt, the Panthers got big yardage from Charlie Moore on a quarterback keeper.

Moore was pressed into action after starter Cameron Clark suffered a concussion against Chapel Hill last week.

Moore directed the blueclad cats down the field.

Geoff Dick ran for good yardage as Bullard moved to the 35-yard line of the Bears.

The drive was in danger of stalling until Moore converted a key fourth-down play with a toss to Justin Hollie.

Jeff Alsobrook then followed blockers for a gain down to the Brownsboro 8-yard line.

Two players later, on a third and goal, Jeremy Jones zipped up the field and fell across the goal line for a Bullard touchdown.

The extra point kick attempt by Moore was wide and Bullard had to settle for being up 6-0 with 3;16 left in the opening frame.

The Bullard defense played well, forcing a Brownsboro punt in the final seconds of the opening half.

But the Panthers could not hit the key play to continue a drive and soon had to punt back to the Bears.

This time the Brownsboro squad was ready. They took over at their own 30-yard line with 9:51 left in the opening half.

The Bears were soon in the end zone.

The scoring play was a 50- yard high, arching pass to Richards from quarterback Jordan Magee.

Bullard players were in the area, but could not knock the ball out. The extra point by Tyler Smith gave Brownsboro a slim 7-6 lead,

Bullard's next possession was a recipe for disaster as a slip by Moore negated yardage and a penalty for an illegal block led to further misery.

Still the Bullard defense was hanging tough.

The Bears drove from their own 25 to the Bullard 18-yard line before Bullard denied the squad a score and the Panthers took over on downs.

The relief Bullard felt for stalking the Bears was followed immediately by a change in momentum as the Panthers fumbled and Brownsboro recovered at the Bullard 15-yard line.

The scoring play came again by Richards.

This time the speedy back high stepped into the end zone on a 1-yard run.

Again the kick was good and with 2:49 left in the first half, Bullard was trailing 14-6.

The third quarter opened with Bullard catching a big break. The first place from scrimmage for Brownsboro appeared to be an 80-yard touchdown run by Richards.

But a holding penalty on the Bears brought the ball back and took the six points off the board. Faced with long yardage, the Bears soon had to punt.

Bullard then strung together an 80- yard scoring march.

Runs by Alsobrook and Moore moved the chains. Moore completed a key pass to Landon Willborn to get inside the 20-yard line.

Jones capped the drive with a 1-yard scoring run at the 7:20 mark. Bullard's attempt a two point conversion failed, but the game was closer as the Brownsboro lead was sliced to 14-12.

Brownsboro padded their lead minutes later with a score of their own. Richards was again the thorn in the Panthers' side with another scoring run, this time from 66-yards out.

Bullard found themselves down 21- 12 with halfway through the third period.

The Bears started picking up yardage in chunks and drove 53-yards for their next score. Ryan Epperson ran over from 2-yards as Brownsboro built a 29-12 lead in the final minutes of the third period.

Another Bullard miscue set the Bears up in prime scoring territory. Brownsboro opened the fourth period with a fourth and 1 run by Richards that turned into a 25-yard scoring burst and he turned the corner and jetted to the goal line.

The kick again was true and Bullard was on the short end of a 36-12 score.

The Bears added a late score by Jaralyn Dora to extend the lead to 43-12.

The final touchdown for Bullard came when Nate Covalt recovered a fumble in the end zone.

The Panthers lost by the final of 43- 12. The loss was the first of the year at home for the Panthers. Bullard falls to 1-3 in district play while Brownsboro is 3-1.

The Panthers end the season on the road against Canton on Nov. 10.