Bearcats down Roos 70-14

The Aledo Bearcats put their foot down against county rival Weatherford at home Friday, Oct. 23, winning 70-14.
With the win, Aledo improves to 4-1 in District 3-6A, and Weatherford falls to 3-2.

Aledo had about as good a first quarter as the team could have expected. The Bearcats’ defense forced two three-and-outs before going on two methodical drivesthat ended with short touchdown runs from Max Forman and Izzy Roberts to go up 14-0.
Weatherford's offense got its first first down on a big pass play from quarterback Braelyn Jones to Reed Tidwell to get into Aledo territory heading into the second quarter, but it did not lead to points.
The Bearcats’ running game started to meet some resistance from the Roos and had to convert multiple long third down attempts by quarterback Tre Williams to slot receiver Kane Lanier. Later in the drive the two hooked up for a 15-yard touchdown pass, and Aledo went up 21-0.
Weatherford's offense had its biggest play of the half come during its next drive when running back D.J. Quimby broke a run up the middle for 53 yards to cut the Bearcats lead to 21-7.
The Roo defense fed off the big play by getting its first stop on a sack of Williams on third down. Weatherford's offense drove down to the Bearcats’ red zone, but after having a touchdown run called back on a holding penalty, it was stopped at Aledo's 4 yard line.
The Bearcats switched into their hurry-up offense before halftime, scoring with 46 seconds left when Williams found Lanier again, this time on a 12-yard pass.

Aledo led 28-7 at halftime
Aledo drove to the Roos’ goal line to start the third quarter, but Weatherford's Xavier Olivares recovered a fumble at his own 4-yard line to end the threat.
Aledo got the ball back quickly, though, when Christian Fraticelli strip-sacked Jones and teammate Omari Din-Mbuh recovered the fumble. The Bearcats scored on the next play when Roberts ran it from 23-yards out.
Aledo scored three more times in the quarter on a run and pass from second-string quarterback Eli Pinnick and on a punt return from Cooper Hull. The Bearcats led 56-7 heading into the final period.
The fourth quarter saw Aledo put in its second- and third-string players, and the team scored twice more. Wyatt Dorsey scored on a short run. Then third-string quarterback Beau Hejny -- the brother of former Aledo quarterback Hauss Hejny -- seeing his first varsity action, threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Mason McCadam late in the game.
Weatherford had one last highlight as Quimby broke away for another long run before scoring a few plays later at the goal line for his second TD of the game.
The connection between Jones and leading receiver Lanier in the first half was big news for Aledo with Lanier returning from injury.
"We know Kane's one of our top receivers, so it was good to have him back out on the field," Aledo coach Robby Jones said. "I think he and Tre have a good connection. We've got to continue to get some of these guys back healthy and back on the field to make plays."

Lanier said he was happy to get back on the field.
"It felt good, especially coming back off of an injury and getting back into the rhythm of things," Lanier said.
Weatherford coach Marshall Williams said he knows getting beat in one-sided fashion is tough, but knows his team has a lot to still play for heading into its final two regular season games.
"The message all week was trying to match them every play," Williams said. "I'm not upset about their effort, but I'm upset about the outcome. All you can do is work hard, and there is something to learn from that video tonight. These kids will respond. They know what is ahead of them."

-- Brock Burgan contributed to this story.