The Willow Springs Bears hosted the Pleasant Hope Pirates in Willow Springs Friday night.
The Bears came into the game 0-1. The Pirates had yet to play a game this season, but hadn’t won a game since 2016. The Bears hadn’t won a game in nearly two years.
The Pirates scored on the opening kickoff with an 80-yard return, and scored a two-point conversion. 8-0 Pirates. The Pirates wasted no time scoring again. They intercepted the Bears, and then followed up with a 25-yard touchdown pass. The Pirates failed the two-point conversion. 14-0 Pirates.
With just over five minutes remaining in the first, a 42-yard run got the Bears to the Pirates’ five-yard line. The Bears were denied at the goal line, and couldn’t convert on fourth down. Pirates still up 14-0, but they started their next drive at their own five-yard line. The Bears forced the Pirates to punt from the end zone, and ended up in terrific field position on the Pirates’ 27-yard line. A 27-yard run put the Bears into the end zone with 2:24 left in the first quarter. 14-7 Pirates in the lead.
A 50-yard pass on the Pirates’ next drive put them in prime position, and they followed it up with a touchdown. The Pirates failed on the two-point conversion. Pirates up 20-7.
The Bears returned the kickoff 50 yards, and then got it into the end zone. 20-14 Pirates with seven seconds left in a very long first quarter.
The Pirates continued to drive down the field in the second quarter. Then, the Bears intercepted the ball in the end zone, and returned the ball to their own 26-yard line. A 45-yard pass put the Bears back into the end zone at the end of a quick drive. The Bears missed the extra point. 20-20 tie with 4:21 left to play in the half. The Pirates turned the ball over on downs with just about two minutes to go in the half. The first half ended tied at 20-20.
Penalties contributed to the long first half, which took 100 minutes to complete. The Bears had 9 penalties in the first half. The Pirates had 8.
The Bears received the ball to start the second half. The Bears marched down the field, capped with a 32-yard touchdown run to gain their first lead of the night. After an extra point, the Bears led 27-20.
The Pirates failed to respond. The Bears added a touchdown on a 77-yard run with 5:38 left in the third. After a successful extra point, the Bears took a 34-20 lead.
The Pirates responded by marching down the field and scoring a touchdown. The Pirates opted to go for two points. They failed. 34-26 Bears in the lead.
The Bears quickly struck back with a 55-yard running play that ended up in the end zone. After a successful extra point kick, the Bears led 41-26 with four minutes left in the third quarter.
The Bears added another touchdown, but muffed the extra point. 47-26 Bears at the end of three quarters.
After a Bears turnover, the Pirates capitalized with a touchdown. 47-32 Bears lead with nine minutes left in the game.
It took one play for the Bears to respond with a 50-yard touchdown run. The extra point failed. 53-32 Bears lead.
The Bears intercepted the Pirates early in the next drive. Then, the Bears ran 73 yards for another touchdown. After missing the extra point, the Bears led 59-32.
The Bears were trying to get time off the clock toward the end of the game on their way to another touchdown, and a 66-32 lead.
The Bears added yet another touchdown and extra point. 73-32 Bears in the lead.
A Pirates fumble led to a Bears return for a touchdown as time expired.
79-32 Bears victory.
Next Friday, the Bears head to Cabool to attempt an upset against the Bulldogs.
