BEULAH — The Beulah Junior High Bobcats (2-1) continued the program’s winning ways with a 14-0 win over Lanett (0-2) on Tuesday night.

“We played a hard-fought game tonight,” Beulah Junior High head football coach Jeff Lamb said. “Lanett’s a good football team, they fought and our defense fought their tail off, we finally hung in there. It was a good job by both teams tonight. This is what junior high school football is all about.”

Lanett hung around Beulah until the 5:30 mark in the fourth quarter, when Bobcats eighth-grade running back Jacori Tarver broke free for a long touchdown run that gave the home team a two-score advantage.

“I stay on him all the time, but he’s got the potential to be a good [player],” Lamb said.

After enjoying a 2018 undefeated campaign, last week’s 14-6 decision against Notasulga was the first loss in a year-and-a-half for the Beulah junior high program, according to Lamb.

“It’s hard work,” Lamb said. “The kids come in during the summer, they lift weights, they do the same thing the varsity is doing. [Beulah varsity football head coach Matt] Johnson, [Beulah athletic director Adam] Johnson, [Beulah principal] Dr. [Cincrystal] Poythress, our administration, everybody’s working with our football program. The football program is on the rise here, varsity and junior high.”

For Lanett, the team is filled with many seventh-graders and first-time players. 

“We looked a lot better than we did last week,” Lanett junior high school head football coach Terrance Price said. “All-in-all, the kids are very receptive to coaching, and that’s why they call us ‘coach.’ We’re here to coach the kids up and teach them how to play football. If we do that, then eventually the wins will come.”

Price later said that while many players were in the right spots on the field, many of the young athletes aren’t physically-prepared to make plays yet. The Panthers expect to bring the same group back next season.

“This year, we’re just going to take our lumps and bruises,” Price said. “We’re going to be better next year, they’re going to be ready to play and eventually this year we’ll get us a win. We’re just going to keep coaching.”

Many players from both teams shared laughs after the local matchup.

“Of course, all of these guys know each other,” Lamb said. “They go to Walmart together, hang out together on the weekends. One of the players told me they know half of the team. That’s part of playing a rival close by, it’s pretty fun.”

Beulah returns to action at home on Sept. 24 against John P. Powell Middle School. Lanett will remain on the road and face Sanford Middle School on Sept. 24.