HORSE CAVE – Caverna erased a six point halftime deficit with 27 third quarter points and rolled to a 47-26 win over visiting Beth Haven on Friday night.

The win was the Colonels’ (4-3 overall, 3-1 district) third straight victory as they secured a home playoff game. The Bearcats (1-6, 0-3) were unable to stop Ethan Bowles’ assault on their quarterback and couldn’t contain Colonels’ running back Andy Goodnight, who rushed for 193 yards on the night.

The Colonels, who benefited from the open date provided by fall break, carried the momentum of their 21-0 homecoming shutout win and started off strong, serving up a hot cup of "three-and-out" to the Bearcats with a big sack by Bowles, followed by the Bearcats firing the punt snap over the head of their punter 25 yards and out the back of the end zone for a safety.

After the Colonels took over at the Bearcats’ 25 following the safety kick, Brett Davidson overthrew Joseph Stumph in the end zone stalling Caverna's drive at the Bearcat 2-yard line. Beth Haven quarterback Justin Stone then chucked a deep toss to a wide open Stuart Washington, who caught the ball near midfield and sped up for the 98-yard touchdown. The Bearcats led 8-2 with 6:41 left in the opening quarter.

Davidson had runs of nine and 17 yards on the Colonels’ next drive, while Goodnight chipped in with runs of five, three and 11-yards before scoring on a 1-yard run to tie the game with 2:47 left in the first quarter.

On the following series Bowles hurried Stone on third down, causing the quarterback to throw his third straight incompletion with a monster hit that stalled another series for the Bearcats.

Davidson had success through the air on Caverna’s next drive, shaking off the Beth Haven blitz to find Cody Adams with a floating toss at the 5-yard line. Adams’ reception set up another score, when on the next play Goodnight sliced open the Bearcats’ defense with a 5-yard run for his second touchdown, which gave the Colonels’ a 14-6 lead less than a minute into the second quarter.

Beth Haven picked off Davidson’s third down pass on Caverna’s next drive and used a six play 66-yard drive to tie the game.

The Bearcats took the lead with 22 seconds left in the half on an 11-yard pass from Stone to Corey Hertel. Beth Haven led 20-14 at the half.

But the third quarter was all Colonels.

Goodnight and Davidson quickly marched the Colonels down the field on seven runs, highlighted by a Goodnight 21-yard run where he flattened two Beth Haven defenders. Goodnight plowed in from five yards with 7:24 to play for his third touchdown, while Davidson gave the Colonels the lead with his extra point.

Davidson literally took the game in his own hands when he picked off Stone's short pass on third down and took returned it 27 yards for a touchdown.

Caverna unsheathed the dagger and recovered an onside kick, taking over at the Beth Haven 45-yard line with 6:56 left in the third quarter. Several plays later, Goodnight scored his fourth touchdown on a 5-yard run to put Caverna up 34-20 at the 4:14 mark of the third.

The Bearcats jumped back in it as Jacob French took the ensuing kickoff 79 yards for a touchdown, cutting the Colonels’ lead to 34-26.

But Davidson and Goodnight drove the Colonels to down the field again with a five play 54-yard drive, which was capped off by Davidson's 2-yard touchdown run for a 41-26 lead late in the third quarter.

Davidson picked off a second pass in the fourth quarter that set up a Adams’ 5-yard run that put the game out of reach. On the play Adams fumbled the ball forward into the end zone, which was then recovered by the Colonels’ defensive star of the game, Ethan Bowles, for the touchdown.

Colonels’ coach Nick Stephens praised Bowles, who had seven tackles and four sacks on the night, as well as Davidson, who had five tackles and intercepted three passes, for pressuring the Bearcats into making several second half mistakes.

“We made some changes,” said the coach postgame. “We knew we had to drop back into a cover two, so it was important that we pressure the quarterback. I think Ethan did a fine job of making him (Stone) make a couple of bad passes and we were able to take advantage of those situations. Brett happened to be right where we needed him to be on several key plays.”

The offensive star of the night was Goodnight, who rushed for 193 yards and four touchdowns.

The Colonels were without standout running back Dearrick Lindsey, who was serving a one game suspension for being ejected for retaliation in his team’s last contest versus Bethlehem. Goodnight filled in for Lindsey nicely, providing the bulk of the Colonels’ offense.

Caverna coach Nick Stephens suggested that perhaps one of his seniors was key to the game plan for Friday's win.

"My senior fullback Cody Adams came to me and said 'Coach, let’s go with Andy' earlier in the week, so we put together some things that had Cody blocking for Andy that we thought would be effective,” Stephens said.

The Colonels are back in action Saturday, Oct. 25, at 1 p.m. CST when they travel to Evangel Christian.



Score by quarter

Beth Haven 8 12 6 0 - 26

Caverna 8 6 27 6 - 47



Rushing

Andy Goodnight 26-193 (4 TD), Brett Davidson 7-55 (TD), Cody Adams 10-25, Josh Rice 1-11.



Passing

Brett Davidson 4/18, 42 yds., 2 INT



Receiving

Cody Adams 3-33, Joseph Stumph 1-9