CLEVELAND, Tenn. — Over the course of the past two football seasons, Bradley Central’s Justin Houston has proven himself as a valuable asset for the Bears in the running game, as a pass-catcher and as a return man.
Friday night against visiting Polk County, it was his turn as a running back.
Houston finished with 164 yards on nine carries and scored three touchdowns, and the Bears shook off a dismal first half to defeat the Wildcats 34-12 at Bear Stadium. The Bradley offensive line paved the way for 293 rushing yards — 187 in the second half.
“We had to get mentally prepared and adjust at the half,” the 5-foot-9, 160-pound senior said. “We came out in the second, the line did a great job blocking and so did the receivers. We found some holes and took advantage.”
The Bears led 13-0 five minutes into the contest, as Houston scored from 39 yards out and again when Bradley was given the ball at the 1-yard line after a bad snap on a Polk punt attempt. Polk settled into the contest and primarily controlled the rest of the first half, with quarterback Alex Akins leading the charge for the Wildcats.