Beaumont Cougars Dominate to Win Big on the Road, 40-17 Over Cathedral City

Beaumont needed Friday’s 40-17 win over Cathedral City for two very big reasons.

First, the Cougars needed to rebound from last week’s last second season opening loss to Valley View.

Next, the Cougars needed to build momentum to go into next week’s confrontation with highly touted Heritage.

So Beaumont’s first win of the season is a big one.

“It’s really important because we had to get this season started,” linebacker Dejon Brown said. “After last week we were really ready to get a win. Last week really hurt us.”

Beaumont, however, had to recover from an early strike by Cathedral City. The Lions stunned the Cougars by taking a 7-0 lead on the second play of the game.

From there, however, Beaumont (1-1) dominated. The Cougars responded by pounding the ball on the Lions, marching 98 yards on 14
plays and capping it with a 5-yard TD run by Tyler Mickles.

Two possessions later the Cougars took a 14-7 lead by marching 71 yards on 14 plays, this time capping it with an 8-yard TD run by
Mickles.

“We really got the running game going,” Beaumont Coach Paul Lopez said. “I think we rushed for almost 200 yards in the first half. We still got to get our passing game on track.”

Beaumont finished the game with 255 yards on the ground. Mickles finished with 32 carries and touchdown runs of 5, 8 and 6 yards.

“If you can establish a run game on the inside it can take the heart out of a team,” Beaumont quarterback Josh Martin said. “If you can get three and four yards a carry and the team can’t stop it, it takes
the will right out of that team. “

It was a quiet night for Martin and the passing attack. Martin was 9 of 12 for 128 yards, connecting with Sammy Roberts on a sharp-looking 24 yard TD strike.

Martin was picked off once but did return an interception 65 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Beaumont took a 21-7 lead midway through the third with Mickles’ third TD run and then took a 24-7 lead on a 23 yard field goal by
Alan Hendey. Defensive lineman Evan Roberts set up that kick when he forced and then recovered a fumble that put the Cougars on Cathedral City’s 22-yard line.

“Our defense plays hard,” Brown said. “When our defense plays like that it gives our offense more reason to play hard. The defense is the heart of the team.”