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Bentworth Batters Jefferson Morgan for Key Conference Win

Tagged under: District 7, Game Photos-Videos, Gameday Hub, News

| October 11, 2025

Ben Hays scores 4 touchdowns in victory

Ellsworth, PA – Bentworth senior running back Ben Hays and Jefferson-Morgan senior wide receiver Deakyn Dehoet are names that are familiar to many in the WPIAL, especially in Single A. This night belonged to Hays, his four touchdowns, and his Bearcats.  

Jefferson-Morgan entered this game with a perfect 7-0 record, as well as an 11 game conference win streak, but would leave this game battered and bruised and their first loss of the season.  While the Bearcats keep their conference title hopes alive. Not only are those conference title hopes still alive, but they opened some eyes with the final result, a 35-13 throttling. The last time Bentworth won a conference title was 1984. Bentworth improved to 6-2, 4-1, with both losses coming by a total of four points.  The conference loss was an 8-7 result to the California Trojans, where the Bearcats led throughout the majority of that game.

The game started out with a bang. On the opening kickoff, Jefferson-Morgan senior John Woodward raced across the field, broke a few tackles, made a couple others miss, and out raced the rest of the Bearcat kickoff team down the sideline for a 70 yard touchdown return. On the ensuing Bentworth possession, the Bearcats marched down the field to punch the ball in to knot the game up at 7.  The drive went 8 plays for 71 yards, however the Rockets thought they had a stop, but a horse collar penalty was called on a 4th and 6 to prolong the drive.  Bentworth capitalized on the mistake with Hays punching it across from one yard out for his first score of the game. 

The Rockets drove deep into Bearcat territory for a first and goal from the 10, but the Rockets went backwards and Hays intercepted a Triton Farabee 4th down pass at the 2 yard line and returned it to the 25 yard line. The Bearcats were forced to punt.  The Rockets wasted no time with the short field, advancing the ball 37 yards capped with an impressive 23 yard run by Dehoet. The 2-point attempt failed but Jefferson-Morgan led 13-7. This was the last time the potent Rockets offense scored any points.  The Bearcats defense took over by winning the battles in the trenches.

The Rockets lost starting quarterback Farabee to an injury while he was making a tackle. After a lengthy delay Bentworth again would find the endzone.  A perfectly placed pass by Bearcat quarterback junior Ty Watson where senior wide receiver Matthew Behanna out-jumped the Rocket defender for a 24 yard touchdown. The Bearcats found themselves with a 21-13 lead going into the break.

On the first drive of the second half, the Bearcats picked up where they left off. On the final play of the drive, Hays, again, took the toss left and beat the Rockets defenders to the endzone for his third touchdown of the game and the Bearcats took a commanding 28-13 lead. The Bentworth defense was the definition of bend but don’t break, again stuffing another Rocket drive in goal to go territory.

Hays added his final touchdown of the game with a plunge from the 3 yard line early in the fourth quarter, two plays prior, Hays found a diving Behanna on a half-back toss to the 4 yard line. 

Ben Hays finished the game with 179 yards on the ground with 4 touchdowns, not to mention an interception and a 26-yard pass completion. To add to the dominance of the Bentworth ground attack, junior running back Alejandro Leichty chipped in another 85 yards. Dehoet led the Rockets with 68 rushing yards and a touchdown.

The Bentworth Bearcats (6-2, 4-1) will look to keep their conference title hopes alive when they travel to Mapletown (1-7, 0-5). Also, the Jefferson-Morgan Rockets (7-1, 4-1) still have a chance at a conference title as well and will look to get the ship righted as they welcome the Avella Eagles (6-2, 3-2). Both teams trail the California Trojans (7-1, 5-0) in the Tri-County South.  

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