Playoff berth unattainable for Mustangs or Bearcats

While a state playoff berth is out of reach, there are other objectives the Brookland Bearcats could attain with a victory over Forrest City in tonight’s season finale at Jordan’s Stadium.

A victory would enable Brookland to finish 5-5 overall and match its best record in 10 seasons of varsity football. The team’s seniors would finish their careers with 12 victories, the most of any senior class at Brookland.

A win would also be the Bearcats’ third in conference play, one more than they had in their inaugural season of 5A-East competition last year. Brookland could finish in a fourth-place tie in the 5A-East, depending on other outcomes tonight, but does not hold the tiebreaker edges needed to play the next week.

The Bearcats (4-5, 2-4 conference) stopped a two-game slide with last week’s 28-8 victory at Paragould, scoring all of their season-high point total in the first half.

Senior running back Kaden Matthews ran for 130 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries to lead the Bearcats to a season-high 212 rushing yards. Munoz said Matthews’ back has been bothering him, leaving him as a game-time decision on whether to play.

Matthews has 597 yards and four touchdowns this season while averaging nearly 4.6 yards per carry.

Senior receiver/defensive back David York accounted for Brookland’s other two touchdowns. York caught a 31yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Aidan Roberson and returned an interception 72 yards for a touchdown.

Roberson has started four games at quarterback. He has completed 55.3 percent of his passes for 301 yards, with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

The Mustangs (2-7, 1-5 conference) earned their conference victory at Paragould, 20-14 in double overtime. They have been outscored by a combined 201-26 in their other five conference games.

Brookland and Forrest City are meeting for the first time this evening. Last season’s meeting was canceled because of Covid19 issues.