LCM Bears set for playoff after win

Dave Rogers - For the Record

A .500 or better record and improved playoff seeding will be at stake Friday when Little Cypress-Mauriceville travels to play Navasota.

The two squads are currently tied for third in District 10-4A Division I with league marks of 2-2.

Overall, LC-M is at 4-5 while Navasota’s Rattlers, state champions in 2012 and 2014, are 2-7.

“It’ll be a tough test,” Bears coach Randy Crouch said. “Their record is very deceiving. Early in the season they played several bigger schools out of their classification.”

The Bears were on the winning side of a mismatch last week, downing last-place Cleveland 42-6 to clinch its third playoff berth in the last four years.

“Cleveland has some good players, a lot of athleticism,” Crouch said. “We played really well. I’m very pleased with how we played.”

Senior Beau Bickham completed 12 of 18 passes for 248 yards and three touchdowns. The six-pointers covered 85 yards to Katon Brown, 45 yards to Mark Netherly and 32 yards to Keegan Sonnier.

“Our defense got some stops and some turnovers. The offense played very well as far as moving the ball,” Crouch said. “We rushed for 260 yards and passed for 250.”

But nine games into the season, why shouldn’t teams play well?

“Everybody hopes you play your best football at this time of year,” the LC-M coach said. “Hopefully you’ll build on what you’re doing from week to week. But there are still things we have to clean up, things to improve on.

“We’re young, and striving to get better.”