By Ken McLemore

HOPE – The Hope Bobcats turned in a mixed performance Friday night against Hot Springs Lakeside that produced points in three out of four quarters in the game but not enough to overcome the Rams’ offense while holding Lakeside scoreless for half the game.

The 43-25 loss for Hope puts the Bobcats at 1-2 in 5A South conference play in a game that saw Lakeside lose two fumbles while Hope passed 8 of 18 for 184 yards on the night with two passing TDs, and running 34 for 233 yards rushing and two touchdowns in the game.

The Bobcats were unable to capitalize after holding Lakeside scoreless in the first and third quarters, allowing the Rams to score 29 points in the second quarter and 14 points in the fourth quarter.
Hope senior Ammorrion Dempsey was 4/6 for 58 yards and one pass for TD at quarterback for the night, while sophomore Tyler Patterson was 4/12 for 126 yards and one TD throw at quarterback.

Dempsey amassed 125 yards on the ground on nine carries and one TD, with KD Gulley scoring once on four carries for 15 yards and Ty’Zhun Jones picking up 140 yards receiving and two touchdowns on the night.

Hope struck first midway through the first quarter as Gulley scored on a four-yard charge after the Bobcats recovered a rolling Lakeside fumble at the Rams’ 35-yard line. The PAT was good as the only extra point score for the Cats on the night.

The Cats lost an opportunity after forcing the ball over on downs on their own 20-yard line and were forced to punt, closing out the first stanza.

The Bobcats put up another six points late in the second quarter as Dempsey scampered 62 yards from the Bobcat 38-yard line taking the ball off the left tackle and cutting against the grain for a sideline dash with no-one near him.

With the score at 29-13 for Lakeside at the half, the third quarter was a scoreless defensive battle for both teams with Hope senior defensive lineman Gregory Burton diving onto a Rams fumble at the Bobcat one-yard line to deprive Lakeside of any opportunity.

The fourth quarter was played almost evenly as Lakeside scored 14 points and Hope put up 12 points, including a 19-yard toss from Dempsey to Tyzhan Jones in the middle of the quarter.

Then, with two minutes to go in the game, Patterson lofted a 30-yard bomb to Jones, who took the ball to the house.

The Bobcats play Camden-Fairview at home in Hammons Stadium Oct. 22 at 7 p.m.