Cougars finish 5-4 with win over Beardstown; heading to CPC for playoffs

By Editor | October 28, 2025 |

By KENT COULTAS

Ryker Ford scored three touchdowns and passed for another to lead West Central to a 46-13 win over Beardstown Oct. 24 at Beardstown.
The Cougars finished the regular season 5-4. They qualified for the IHSA playoffs and play at Camp Point Central (9-0) Saturday at 1 p.m.
After forcing Beardstown to punt, the Cougars drove 52 yards for its first touchdown.
Tucker Arnold scored on a 20-yard run, and West Central led 6-0. Ford ran for the conversion, and the Cougars led 8-0.
Beardstown scored on a 39-yard run and cut the margin to 8-6 with 6:05 remaining in the second quarter. The Cougars scored on their next two possessions.
Carter Edlen recovered an onside kick attempt, and West Central need just four plays to move 40 yards.
Anthony Hance caught a 22-yard from Ford and increased the lead to 14-6 with 4:02 remained in the quarter. Arnold ran for the conversion, and West Central led 16-6.
The Cougars’ defense forced another Beardstown punt and drove 57 yards for their third touchdown.
Ford scored on a 26-yard run with 1:02 remaining in the quarter. Eli Crain ran for the conversion, and the Cougars led 24-6 at halftime.
West Central scored three times in the third quarter and increased the lead to 46-6.
Crain scored on 2-yard run with 4:29 remaining in the quarter. Preston Adams caught a pass from Ford for the conversion.
Arnold caught a 5-yard pass from Ford on fourth down and four yards in possession and keep the drive alive.
Ford scored on runs for 24 and 63 yards in the quarter. He also scored a conversion and increased the lead to 40 points.
Beardstown scored on a 3-yard run with 6:54 remained in the game.
Beardstown (1-8) had nine first downs and 172 yards. They rushed for 59 yards on 18 attempts and passed for 113 yards.
The Cougars finished with 18 first downs. They rushed for 264 yards on 35 attempts and passed for 71 yards.
Ford rushed for 152 yards on just nine attempts to lead West Central. Arnold rushed for 59 yards on eight attempts. Crain rushed for 44 yards on 11 attempts. Lane Clayton rushed for 14 yards on three attepts.
Ford completed five of nine passed for 71 yards and a touchdown. Arnold caught three passes for 39 yards. Hance caught one pass for 22 yards, and Kunz caught one pass for 10 yards.
Clayton had 11 tackles for the defense, and Ozly Walker had six. Cooper Eddinger, Luke Kunz and Jeffrey McIntire each had a tackle for a loss.
Edlen recovered a fumbe, and Hance intercepted a pass.