Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Brasher goes down in school history with interception
Cam Brasher may reap the rewards of a single play in a high school football game for as long as he lives in Booneville.
In a community where football is the heartbeat, Brasher forever etched his name into Bearcats’ lore when he stepped in front of a Prescott receiver for a game-clinching interception last Saturday with under 20 seconds left in the Class 3A state semifinal game.
Brasher’s goal-line interception sealed Booneville’s 34-31 win over Prescott, earning the No. 1 Bearcats a berth in the 3A state championship at noon today against Osceola (13-1) in Little Rock’s War Memorial Stadium. Booneville (14-0) is seeking its first state championship since 2013.
“The community here, the support is just unbelievable,” Brasher said. “Our tradition, it’s just amazing to grow up here.”
And now Brasher is a huge part of that tradition, as one of what Bearcats’ coach Scott Hyatt calls, “our Smurfbackers.”
“Him and (Carson) Ray, they are our Smurfs back there, but I think Cam is actually a little taller than Carson,” Hyatt joked.
Listed generously in the program at 5-foot-8, Brasher stood much taller last Saturday night when he intercepted what likely would have been a game-winning touchdown pass off Prescott’s Ryan Johnson with just 14 seconds left. Even if Brasher had only
“They did not have any timeouts left, so we felt like they would try for the touchdown on third down, then if they didn’t get it, kick the field goal.”
— Booneville football coach Scott Hyatt
“I was behind him a little, and I saw the quarterback rare back to throw. I just knew that I could get it, and I was able to cut in front of the receiver.”
— Cam Brasher, Booneville linebacker
batted the pass down, the Curley Wolves likely would have attempted a game-tying field goal and forced overtime.
“We knew they were going to throw one in the end zone and try and take a shot,” Hyatt said. “They did not have any timeouts left, so we felt like they would try for the touchdown on third down, then if they didn’t get it, kick the field goal.”
Prior to the play, Prescott had called its final timeout. On the Booneville sideline, the coaches tried to cover every possible scenario for the final play, Brasher said.
“The coaches kept us calm, or they tried to,” Brasher said. “I mean really it was pretty intense.”
Brasher said he saw the receiver sliding across the line and saw that the Prescott quarterback’s eye were locked on the receiver.
“I was behind him a little, and I saw the quarterback rare back to throw,” he said. “I just knew that I could get it, and I was able to cut in front of the receiver.”
Brasher pulled the pass in at the goal line and had to decide quickly whether to fall down or try to run it out. He made it out to the 4 before he was caught from behind.
The Bearcats exploded on the sideline, and Hyatt said he had to get everyone back to avoid a penalty for excessive celebration, which would have moved the ball back half the distance to the goal, or the 2. “I did not want us to have to snap the ball and maybe fumble it or something,” Hyatt said.
The Bearcats were able to run the clock out and punch their ticket to Little Rock.
Brasher said only one other time could he recall making a game-saving interception was way back in the third grade in pee-wee football
Cam Brasher
SCHOOL Booneville
CLASS Junior
HEIGHT 5-8
WEIGHT 193
POSITION Linebacker
NOTABLE Late interception in semifinal win sealed 34-31 win against Prescott and sent the Bearcats to the 3A state title game. It was his second interception of the season. … Has recorded 71 tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss. … A two-year starter at inside linebacker.
against Charleston. Hyatt said the play will go down as one of the biggest in the history of Booneville’s storied program.
That Booneville is in the championship game is remarkable considering it lost its starting quarterback just a few snaps into the first game of the season. Brandon Ulmer went down with a knee injury and has missed the entire season.
The Bearcats rallied together when they learned Ulmer was lost for the season, Brasher said.
“It says a lot about our team and that we have each other’s back no matter what,” Brasher said. “We’ve proven that we can overcome the obstacles we are faced with. When Brandon went down, we all got together and decided everyone was going to have to do their part and more, and we’ve done that.”