Any football season at any level almost always has its ups and downs.

Big wins and heartbreaking losses are often inevitable

Friday night, despite playing hard and well, the Bainbridge High School Bearcats suffered one of those heartbreaking losses when they bowed 27-25 to the Upson-Lee High School Knights, a fellow Region 1AAAA member, in Thomaston.

The game was in doubt until the very end when the Bearcats outstanding place kicker and punter Keenan Adams, who has been courageously fighting through an injury, just missed on a 54-yard field goal attempt on the game’s last play.

Adams and the Bearcats special teams have been a real bright spot for the Bearcats this season.

His punting and place kicking and the punt, and kickoff returning of Shawn Samuels and Jeremy Harper have been major assets in the Bearcats five victories.

The Bearcats are still very much in the state Class AAAA playoff picture.

What they must do now is put the Upson-Lee game behind them and focus on their final two Region 1AAAA and regular season games, Friday night against the Americus-Sumter County High School Panthers and Nov. 6 against the Thomas County Central High School Yellow Jackets.

This Friday night’s encounter with the Americus-Sumter County Panthers will be the Bearcats annual homecoming game.

“Our contribution to homecoming is to win the football game,” Bearcats head coach Ed Pilcher said Monday morning. “Homeecoming is a big event for the school, the community and the county.”

I thought the Bearcats offense, led by junior quarterback Rohan Gaines, probably played as well as they have all season Friday night in Thomaston

Gaines was outstanding, rushing for 127 yards on 22 carries, averaging 5.8 yards a carry and running in for two touchdowns.

He also completed five of eight passes for 60 yards. and came up with big run after big run all night.

Also scoring two touchdowns for the Bearcats Friday night was senior running back Thomas Smiley. He had scoring runs of one and four yards and ran hard all night.

The Bearcats defense also made some big plays, but the Upson-Lee offense deserves some credit. They made their share of critical first downs.

The award-winning Bainbridge High School Marching Bearcat Band, the pride of Decatur County, put on their usual outstanding halftime show Friday night in Thomaston.

Their lively rendition of Walt Disney music, coupled with patriotic favorites, is truly inspiring.

The award-winning BHS cheerleaders are also doing a great job of firing up the crowd every Friday night.

I urge all loyal Bearcat fans to come out to Centennial Field Friday night, wear their finest purple and gold, and let the players, band members and cheerleaders know how much they appreciate their efforts, and cheer the Bearcats on to a big Region 1AAAA and homecoming victory.

See you at the game.