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For the first time in 10 years, the Berryville Bobcats are off to a 2-0 start.
The Bobcats got their second consecutive victory on the road last Friday, Sept. 12, overpowering Greenland 38-7 behind a powerful running game and big plays on defense and special teams.
Berryville registered 410 yards of total offense, with 243 yards rushing and 167 passing. Junior running back Jason Alvarado ran 13 times for 151 yards and two touchdowns, while junior quarterback CT Hicks ran for 39 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries and completed nine of 17 passes for 167 yards.
Berryville coach Macklin Chermak credited offensive coordinator Justin Ellis — in his first year at Berryville — with putting together a solid game plan.
“Our offensive coordinator has done just a phenomenal job of maximizing these guys’ potential and putting them in the right spots,” Chermak said. “Just a great job.”
The Bobcats, who’ll host Yellville-Summit for Homecoming on Friday, Sept. 19, at Bobcat Stadium, led 21-7 at halftime and extended that margin to 38-7 before Greenland scored a touchdown in the final two minutes of the game.
Junior Josh Arechiga set up Berryville’s first touchdown with an interception at the Greenland 17 late in the first quarter. Alvarado scored on the first play after the turnover, running behind the right side of the Berryville offensive line.
Greenland answered with a touchdown, but the Bobcats took the lead for good when senior defensive end Zydon Ballard scooped up a fumble and returned it for a touchdown with 6:09 remaining in the second quarter. The second of five extra-point kicks by sophomore Wah Na put Berryville up 14-7.
Senior Kale Smith set up Berryville’s next score, returning a punt 57 yards to the Greenland 25. After a first-down run by Hicks to the 14, Alvarado went up the middle for the touchdown on the next play with 2:11 left in the first half.
After a third-quarter fumble recovery by senior Andre Esparza, Hicks hit Smith for a 20-yard gain to the Greenland 12 and scored from the 4 two plays later.
The Pirates drove to the Berryville 4 on their next possession, but a fourthdown pass into the end zone fell incomplete. On second- and-10 from the 14, Alvarado broke free down the right sideline and raced for 70 yards to the Greenland 16. On the next play, junior John Butler ran for 14 yards to set up a 2-yard touchdown run by Hicks with 42 seconds left in the third quarter. Na’s extra point made it 35-7.
Butler had four receptions for 94 yards.
With Arechiga in at quarterback in the fourth quarter, the Bobcats drove to the Greenland 1 before opting for a field-goal try on fourth down. Na converted the kick for a 38-7 lead.
Senior linebacker Kobe Garcia led the Berryville defense with 6.5 tackles, including a sack, and forced two fumbles. Arechiga and sophomore Jesse Culling had six tackles apiece, while junior Rendy Lazo had five tackles and forced a fumble.
Berryville, off to its best start since the 2015 Bobcats also won their first two games, will try to make it 3-0 on Friday against Yellville- Summit. The Panthers (0-2) are coming off a 41-18 home loss against Hector.
Chermak said Yellville- Summit will present multiple formations on both offense and defense, making the Panthers a difficult team to prepare for. He’s also trying to make sure the Bobcats don’t get too caught up in their fast start with conference play looming.
“They are very excited,” he said. “The community is very excited and I guess my job is to temper that excitement. The teams are only going to get harder.”
Friday night’s kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
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