Bobcats rout Gorman; Jonesboro Eagles up next

STRAWN - If there’s two things that go hand in hand, it’s Newcastle Bobcats football and the playoffs. Another thing many associate with Newcastle is winning in the playoffs, which is exactly what happened Friday night. The Bobcats (8-3) used a smothering defensive attack combined with a high octane offense to overwhelm the Gorman Panthers, leading to a 58-12 victory in the bi-district round of the playoffs from Greyhound Stadium in Strawn. Gorman held the Bobcats’ offense in check for the much of the first half, and Newcastle led 8-0 going into the second quarter. With 9:53 left before halftime, the Bobcats increased the advantage to 16-0, before Gorman got on the board just over a minute later to make it 16-6 following a blocked extra point. However, the Bobcats had a quick response as Mikey Walker found Gage Bozeman down the sideline for a touchdown, giving Newcastle some breathing space at 22-6 with 7:25 remaining in the first half. Gorman wasn’t prepared for what the Bobcats had in store next as Walker connected with lineman Jusdon Sconce for a touchdown, making it 30-6 with just over three minutes remaining in the second quarter. Perhaps the back breaker for the Panthers came just before halftime, when Walker scored another touchdown for Newcastle, this one from 1 yard out, sending the Bobcats into the locker room leading 36-6. For the rest of this story, subscribe to our print or online edition.