Story By Heath Hambrick

All eyes were on Rainsville Friday night as the second round game between the Plainview Bears and the Alexandria Valley Cubs was the AHSAA/APTV Game of the Week on PBS statewide.  

The Bears rolled to a convincing 42-14 victory over Alexandria to advance to the state quarterfinals for the first time since 2010. 

Alexandria started the game with some trickery with an onside kick that was recovered by the Bears at their own 48 yard line. Plainview quarterback Owen Hope behind his big offensive line capped a six play 52 yard drive with a 35 yard touchdown run. And after the extra point the Bears took a 7-0 lead with 10:10 to go in the first quarter.  

The Plainview defense comes up with a big early stop of Alexandria on a fourth and eight at the Bears 34 yard line. The Bears offense started their second drive with 8:04 to go in the first quarter. 

After a steady dose of running back Brody Hodges who went over a thousand yards on the season on the drive behind the Bears offensive line, Hope capped a 10 play 74 yard drive with a quarterback keeper for an 11 yard touchdown run to put Plainview on top 14-0 after the extra point. And with 3:23 left in the first quarter the Bears were in firm command of the ball game.  

The first quarter ended with Alexandria facing a fourth down and one from the Plainview 46 yard line. Plainview took a 14-0 lead to the second quarter. On the first play of the second quarter the Valley Cubs converted the fourth down play to keep the drive alive. JJ Beason found the end zone on a 15 yard touchdown run to finish off the long Alexandria drive. With 8:04 left in the first half the Valley Cubs cut the lead to 14-7 after the extra point. 

Plainview started its third drive of the game with outstanding field position at the Alexandria 47 yard line after Alexandria attempted another onside kick that was unsuccessful.  

After a 16 yard run on first down from Hodges and facemask foul called on the second play of the drive, Plainview found its self back in the redzone once again. Hope finished off the drive finding the end zone for the third time untouched. After the extra point Plainview pushed the lead back to 14 at 21-7 with 6:50 to go in the first half.  

The Valley Clubs started their drive at the 20 yard line looking to answer the Bears score. Alexandria had a promising drive going converting two third downs to keep the drive moving. For the Bears defense Cam Horton and Brayden Lingerfelt recorded key tackles during the drive the Valley Cubs faced a fourth and one from the Plainview 26 yard line. Alexandria failed to convert the fourth down play as Plainview’s trip Ledbetter comes up with a huge tackle for loss to turn the ball back over to the Bears offense with 150 to go in the first half. 

Owen Hope and and the bears started their drive from their own 30 yard line. On the third play of the drive hope picked up 50 yards to get Plainview down inside the 10 yard line with first and goal and another opportunity to score. Hope found the end zone for the fourth time in the first half from 6 yards out and after the extra point Playview went up 28 to 7. We’re just over a minute to go in the first half.

The Alexandria offense went three and out and was forced to punt for the first time all night with less than 30 seconds to go in the first half

Plainview took a knee and took a 28 to 7 lead into halftime. 

To open the second half Alexandria had a promising drive that was stalled by holding penalty and then the Plainview defense stood tall and stopped Alexandria on fourth and go from the 6 yard line to give the ball back to the Bears offense with 855 to go in the third quarter.

The Bears take over six minutes off the third-quarter clock in a 10 play 94 yard Drive that is capped by 25 yard touchdown run by Brody Hodges to give Plainview a 35 to 7 lead after the extra point with two minutes to go in the third quarter. 

Plainview took a 35 to 7 lead into the final quarter.

Early in the fourth quarter Alexandria faced another fourth down and the Bears defense stopped the valley cub again on third down for the third time in the game this time by tackle for loss by Creek Johnson. Giving the ball back to Plainview at the 41 yard line.

In the final quarter Rylan Guess added the final touchdown for the Bears from 5 yards out to give blame you a 42 to 7 lead after the extra point.

Alexandria would tack on another touchdown lead in the ball game to make the final score 42 to 14. 

Hope finished with 21 carries for 232 yards and 4-touchdowns along with 28 yards passing. Hodges had 12 carries for 80 yards and a touchdown. Guess had seven carries for 27 yards and a touchdown.  

The Bears improved to 12-0 on the season. Plainview will travel to Good Hope (10-2) for a quarterfinal batch up next Friday night.