SAN ANGELO, TX — It didn’t take long for the San Angelo Central High Bobcats to score its first touchdown of the 2026 football season.
After the first series drive turned into a speed-bump, Cats’ senior quarterback, Micah Smith fast-tracked the offense to a scoring drive.
The non-district opener final 28-23 score to win was for head coach, Mark Smith particularly two-fold sweet. First it was the 100th all time meeting between two former teams known as the  “Little Southwest Conference” opponents.
And second, Smith’s Cats had lost consecutive games vs Eagles to start its last two seasons– 60-36 and 42-21.
With Central in the red zone, Smith threw a short reverse swing pass to Tucker Beaty who outraced the defensive secondary for the six points. After the PAT, Cats led 7-0 with 2:27 left in the first quarter.
The Eagles got on the scoreboard when kicker Elisha Batendji banged in a 33-yard field goal to cut the lead, 7-3 Central. The 3-points came with 12-seconds left before the first quarter ended.
Central’s next scoring drive came early in the second quarter when Smith scampered in from 2-yards out to make it a 14-3 halftime lead.
In the third quarter, Central’s special teams’ player Dereon McDuffie blocked a punt and returned it for a 10-yard touchdown. The Bobcats now led 21-3 at the 11:12 mark.
Abilene High responded with a score of their own, albeit on a fourth-and-goal. Quarterback Tristan Beal threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Jaden West to make it 21-10 Bobcats, with 3:17 left in the third quarter.
Headed into the fourth quarter, the Cats were in command when disaster struck. Quarterback Smith threw an interception that Eagles’ DB Camrin Allen intercepted to set up Abilene’s offense for a score. Abilene quarterback Beal connected with receiver John Rangel for a 23-yarder to cut the Cats lead by five, 21-16. The score came with 11:38 left in the fourth quarter.
The Bobcats’ Smith-led offense took the field at their 16-yard line and marshalled downfield to finish off an 84-yard touchdown drive capped off with an 18-yard pass to Gavin Johnson. The 28-16 score made it a 12-point cushion with 7:29 left in the fourth quarter.
Just when it looked like the score would hold up for the Bobcats’ first non-district win of the season, the Eagles quick strike offense cut the lead 28-23 when Beal scored from the six-yard line.
Central High’s offense continued to make it difficult for itself when the final drive stalled at the three-yard line. A field goal attempt was botched when the snapped ball was mishandled.
Abilene High’s last-ditch effort for the win failed when the quarterback launched a deep Hail Mary pass down the left sideline that was batted away.
The Bobcats (1-0) next road trip is at Mansfield Lake Ridge on Friday, September 4, 2026. Lake Ridge Eagles lost its season opener vs Prosper Walnut Grove 49-28. Kickoff from RL Anderson Stadium is at 7 p.m.