BOGUE CHITTO – The Mount Olive Pirates defeated the home standing Bogue Chitto Bobcats 8-0 in Region 4-1A action Friday night at Troy Smith Field.

Bogue Chitto has been celebrating homecoming this week as the Bobcats and the Pirates prepared to take the field for pregame warm-ups. Mother Nature decided to open the floodgates and the showers began. When the showers started to clear up, the lightning began to flash through the sky to delay the ballgame.

Both teams had to sit in the field houses patiently for almost two hours. The homecoming festivities were held in BC’s new gymnasium. After the long delay, both teams were able to get ready and step on to Troy Smith field to start the most important part about homecoming, the football game.

Coming into the game, the Pirates had two loses and no wins on the year. The Bobcats had two loses and one win on their record. Both teams are experiencing a rebuilding year for their football program.

In the first quarter, BC kicked off to Mount Olive to start the game. At the 10-minute mark the Bobcats defense came up big when Bo Smithers recovered a fumble. Offensively, the Bobcats responded and managed to put together a good drive and pound the ball into the redzone, but Mount Olive’s defense kept BC out of the end zone.

The Bobcats lined up for a field goal late in the first quarter as place kicker Cameron Price lined the kick up and was slightly off the mark. The Pirates got the ball back and managed to run out the clock to end the first quarter.

In the second quarter, the rain started to come down harder, but it did not bother either team. The Pirates and the Bobcats had some really productive offensive plays, but all the drives stalled out and resulted in punts or turnover on down.

The Bobcats’ defense was able to force a fumble, but the Mount Olive Pirates were able to recover it. BC’s James Allred was able to jump on a loose ball and put his Bobcats offense in great field position late in the second quarter. BC’s drive later stalled out, and the Pirates took over on downs. Both teams went into the locker room scoreless at halftime.

In the third quarter, the Bobcats needed to mustard something up and get on the scoreboard. BC’s offense was hitting on all cylinders but stalled out again when they got close to end zone.

At the 2-minute mark in the third quarter, Mount Olive’s Tray McNair caught an interception and returned it for a touchdown, and the Pirates were successful on the two-point conversion.

In the fourth quarter, both teams had some good drives. The Pirates were threatening to get in the end zone again, but the Bobcats defense managed to shut them out. The Bobcats threatened to make a comeback but Mount Olive’s defense denied them when D’Juan McNair caught an interception.

Offensively for the Bobcats, Tucker Lambert led the team with 17 rushes for 96 yards, while completing three passes for 47 yards. Kobe Roberts contributed to BC’s ground attack with 11 carries for 44 yards. Dee Dillon was the top receiver with two catches for 38 yards. Kody Halford had one catch for 9 yards.

Defensively, Bo Smithers directed the team in tackles with 12. Kobe Roberts, Brandon McKenzie, Kody Halford and Will Fauver contributed with eight tackles apiece. Matthew Black had seven stops for the night.