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Timing is everything. For Beulah and Demarion Foreman, last week proved to be the perfect time for an awaited comeback. 

Foreman came into the season as the definitive starter for the Bobcats. Early on, Foreman dominated with his dual-threat abilities. Then came the Prattville Christian game. Foreman suffered an ankle injury during that game that sidelined him for three games. 

This week, Beulah’s quarterback returned in a big way. Foreman finished the game with 289 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Foreman’s outstanding performance propelled Beulah to a 38-31 over Weaver and gave the program its first playoff berth since 2018. 

“You go into a game where you win and you’re in, that’s a good time to get your starting quarterback back,” Beulah coach Matt Johnson said.

 “He just gives a different look than Wes [Grant] does. He’s a little more dynamic with his legs. When you’ve got a player that the team has to honor the run or the pass, that helps you out on offense. It’s good to see him come back, be successful on the field and hopefully that carries over the next couple of games.” 

Foreman suited up several times over the past few weeks thinking that he might get a chance to play, but the coaching staff aired on the side of caution because they wanted Foreman at his best. Still, it was hard for a player like Foreman to watch the games from the sideline. 

“It was very tough,” Foreman said. “Just watching us stay in games and let it slip away. It was extremely tough just sitting there watching and praying that I could come back the next week. I finally got the chance to come back, and it felt great.” 

Despite not being able to get out there with his teammates, Foreman did not shy away from being the leader of the team. Foreman was heavily involved vocally throughout his time away. 

“He was very involved in practice, very involved in games,” Allen said. “He’s a good kid, he’s a great person. He’s going to help out any way he can, no matter what.” 

Foreman is just a junior on the team, but most would think that he is a senior based on his attitude. While sitting out with an injury, Foreman took the time to let the seniors know that it was their time to take over. 

“I was just telling them that with or without me you guys have to carry us,” Foreman said. “I was mainly talking to the seniors. The seniors are going to be a big part of us going to the playoffs. I was just telling them, ‘keep your head up, don’t worry about me. I’ll be back eventually.”’

While Foreman was out, Wes Grant took over the starting quarterback duties. Johnson was proud of the way Wes handled things as the starter. 

Grant is also one of the best receivers on the team. Even though Grant provided a much-needed lift at quarterback, the Bobcats still lost a lot in Foreman’s absence. One of the main losses was Grant’s ability as a receiver. 

On Friday, it was huge for the Bobcats to have both Grant and Foreman on the field at the same time. Late in the fourth quarter, Grant caught a pass from Foreman to pick up a crucial third-down conversion. 

“It’s huge to get Wes back at the receiver position,” Johnson said. “That helps Demarion out a lot. One of the biggest plays of the game was a ball that was thrown to Wes. That just tells you the relationship that these guys have. They trust each other, that’s something that you really can’t coach.” 

The relationship between Foreman and Grant was not built overnight. The two have had a long-standing friendship, and they have practiced alongside each other for several years. 

“Me and Wes have been friends since fifth grade,” Foreman said. “It’s just been me practicing with Wes and showing him the right reads. When I got hurt, and he had to fill in for me, he already knew the hot routes and where the receivers would be.” 

A playoff berth had been at the forefront of everybody’s mind within the Beulah program. After missing the playoffs the last four seasons, the win on Friday was one of the most important wins for everyone on the team. 

“It was extremely important because all of my friends are seniors this year, and that has been their number one goal,” Foreman said. “It’s been all of our goal since May. It’s been our main goal this year, and it happened.” 

Despite coming off of an ankle injury, there was no bubble wrap around Foreman on Friday night. Foreman carried the ball 28 times and fought through a lot of contact. 

Foreman is confident that the ankle injury is behind him, and he is solely focused on helping his team make a run in the playoffs. 

“I’m pretty confident,” Foreman said. “My ankle has gotten a lot better. I’ve just been doing physical therapy every day, and it’s been helping me out a lot. I would like to showcase my passing abilities and my speed.” 

Beulah faces Horseshoe Bend on Friday to close out the regular season. Then, the Bobcats travel to face Mobile Christian in round one the following Friday.