RISON - This Friday night, when Rison faces Bismarck, it will mark the 6th time that the Wildcats will face a state playoff opponent that they met during the regular season. Back in the second game of this season, at Rison (game was originally to have been played at Bismarck), the Wildcats battled back from a 31-20 fourth quarter deficit to edge the Lions, 34-31, in the closing minute of the contest. Rison has faced Bismarck once before in the playoffs, back in 2011, a Wildcat victory here.
In their five other similar state playoff rematches, the Wildcats are 3-2, the three victories coming during state championship runs.
Just like this year, Rison was 9-0 back in 1987 with a first round bye in the state playoffs. During the early part of that season, 35 years ago, the Wildcats went on the road and handled Smackover, 27-7. At home in the playoffs, following their bye, the 'Cats jumped out to a 13-0 lead before the Buckaroos rallied to defeat Rison, 20-13. Smackover went on to fall in the playoff semifinals.
Once again, in 1990, it was a rematch with Smackover in the playoffs, after the Buckaroos had won an early season meeting at Rison, 36-23. Rison had a first round bye, while the Bucks routed Elkins in a first round contest. The next week, the 10-0 Smackover squad came back to Rison and were soundly thrashed by the Wildcats, 26-7, who went on to capture a state title over Barton.
In 1995, on their way to a state championship, Rison, at home, overcame a slew of turnovers in the regular season meeting with Camden Harmony Grove to down the Hornets, 27-17. Again, at home in the second round of the playoffs, the 'Cats blanked the Hornets, 41-0.
During the infamous run of Junction City during the 1999 season, led by running back Marcus Godfrey, the Dragons won a pair of games over Rison, both on the border, a 48-14 victory during the regular season, and again in the second round of the playoffs, 42-20. Rison had won a...
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