BOGUE CHITTO – Halftime fireworks lit upthe sky Friday night as Bogue Chitto celebrated homecoming 2011 onTroy Smith Field. It was a preview of the second half as BC’sBobcats lit up the scoreboard and roared to a 46-22 triumph overthe Resurrection Catholic Eagles in a Region 4-1A showdown.

    Bogue Chitto head coach Gareth Sartin presented an autographedfootball to homecoming queen Rachel Carter after the game. The ballwas signed by the Bobcats and that make it a special memory forCarter.

    The large, partisan crowd watched the two teams score a total offive touchdowns in the third quarter. Turnovers and special teamsfavored the Bobcats. Dennis Rogers intercepted an Eagle pass byquarterback Larry Sisson and returned it 13 yards for a touchdown.Germie Martin’s sparkling 77-yard kickoff return for a TD chilledResurrection’s comeback attempt.

    The Bobcats, ranked No. 4 in the latest Class 1A Associated PressPrep Poll, climbed to 5-0 overall and 2-0 in the region.Pascagoula-based Resurrection, in its third year of varsityfootball, fell to 2-2 overall and 1-1 in the region.

    Bobcat senior linebacker Kevin Brothern claimed an interception inthe second quarter. He also had  14 tackles (5 solo), plus a fumblerecovery. Brothern,  one ofthree seniors on BC’s squad, also played offensive left guard.

    “We have stepped up on both sides of the ball and we are better ondefense this year,” said Brothern. “I’m in good shape so I can helpon offense, too.”

    Brothern and his teammates held the explosive Eagles to 197 yardstotal offense. The Bobcats saw their 15-8 halftime margin shrink to15-14 when Irving Spikes carried a pass from Sisson 42 yards to theend zone.

    BC responded with a pair of quick touchdowns as James Blackwellrushed 3 yards and Rogers returned the interception to paydirt,making it 31-14 Blackwell and Colton McClendon both had  2-point conversion runs.

     “Everybody stepped it upin the second half,” said McClendon. “We are playing as ateam.”

    McClendon galloped 37 yards for his team’s second TD. Brandon Wellsgot the Bobcats on the scoreboard with a 63-yard scamper with 2:19left in the first quarter. Wells finished with 102 rushing yards on5 carries.

    BC collected a 2-point safety when Spikes was tackled in the endzone by James Blackwell. The Bobcats led 8-zip.

    On the free kick, Blackwell returned the ball 21 yards toResurrection’s 37. McClendon went the distance on first down.

    Sartin was unhappy with his team’s first-half performance andshared his feelings at halftime. “It was a pretty lively halftime.We came out and took control in the third quarter. Germie Martinhad that big (kickoff) return and we wore them  down in the second half.”

    Martin hooked up with quarterback Brock Roberts on a 22-yard,fourth-quarter TD pass. Price’s PAT put the hosts up 46-22 with4:54 left to play.

    “Our defense played great in the second half,” said Sartin.Jermaine Blackwell accounted for 14 tackles, including 5 solostops. Jeremy Blackwell was credited with 13 tackles. JamesBlackwell had 14 tackles. Damien Terrell had 10 tackles.

    Resurrection coach Rocky Gaudin sat slumped against the wall in acorner of the dressing room after the game. “(BC) took it to us inthe third quarter. We had a chance to take the lead. That kickoffreturn hurt us and then we didn’t field the ball on a kickoff.”

    The Eagles visit Dexter Friday night and Bogue Chitto travels toUtica to face Hinds AHS in region action.