Belleville — The Ellsworth Bearcat football team played against the Republic County Buffaloes Sept. 13, winning 45-14.

The Bearcats started strong. With 6:27 left in the first quarter, junior Tucker Goss scored a 3-yard touchdown. Only 3:19 later, he did it again, this time for 10 yards.

The Cats were establishing a strong lead, a lead they expanded over the course of the game. The Buffaloes were left floundering as the first quarter ended 12-0.

The second quarter was similar to the first in that all of the scoring was done by one person. This time, though, it was done by senior Landin Johnson. The Buffs made no progress. At 2:46 into the quarter, Johnson made an 11-yard touchdown. With 2:43 left, he scored again. Extra points were made on both touchdowns.

“It’s just putting in work all off-season, always in the gym, consistently...” Johnson said about how such a feat was possible. “Definitely teamwork (goes into it). My O-line helps out a lot; they’re definitely a big part of that. It can’t just be me. It’s … everybody working off-season for it.”

That brought the score up 14 points, and the first half ended 26-0.

In the third quarter, the Cats finally met some resistance. The Buffaloes managed to score a touchdown and field goal, bringing their score up.

On the brighter side, Johnson was up to his usual tricks. At 2:07 into the quarter, he scored a 26-yard touchdown. Later in the quarter, Goss scored a 3-yard touchdown as well. The third quarter ended 38-7, with the Cats still having a distinctive lead.

The Buffs would make their last stand in the fourth quarter by scoring one final time. They brought their score into the double digits. Johnson also made a last stand. With 5:45 left in the game, he scored the final touchdown from a whopping 88 yards. This put an unnecessary, but very effective, final nail in the coffin for the Buffs.

This win raised the Cats’ season record 2-0. Be sure to catch them at home Sept. 20 as they host Minneapolis Lions.

“My O-line helps out a lot; they’re definitely a big part of that. It can’t just be me. It’s … everybody working off-season for it.”

Landin Johnson senior football player