Oct 24, 2025 3 min read

ELLSWORTH – Bentworth junior Kaden Ayers made his presence known on both sides of the ball Friday night.

Ayers caught a pair of touchdown passes, recovered a fumble and picked off a pass in the end zone to help Bentworth secure a 35-0 win over Avella in a Class A Tri-County South game.

Though the Bearcats won the game, they didn’t get the help they needed to clinch a share of the conference title. California defeated Jefferson-Morgan to win the Tri-County South outright.

The Bearcats (6-1, 8-2) secured their first eight-win season since 1986. Avella (3-4, 6-4) will have to wait until Saturday to see if it’ll get a wild card berth into the WPIAL Class A playoffs.

Bentworth has rode the legs of Ben Hays to the playoffs, but in the regular season finale showed it has a passing game as well.

Bearcats quarterback Ty Watson threw a pair of touchdowns and had several other throws for big gains.

A blocked punt set up Bentworth at the Avella 16-yard line for its first possession. The Bearcats quickly cashed in when Bryce Crowson scored on a 12-yard run.

Following a punt on its next possession, Avella got a bit of momentum when it stuffed Hays on a fourth down play near midfield.

It didn’t last long however, because Eagles quarterback Chas Rush fumbled on a fourth down play and Bentworth recovered.

Watson found Ayers for a 64-yard touchdown two plays later and the lead was 14-0.

On the first play of the second quarter, Bentworth stopped Avella on a fourth down at midfield.

The Bearcats turned the good field position into points when Ayers and Watson connected for a second time for a nine-yard touchdown.

Bentworth stopped Avella on fourth down for the third time in the first half at its own 42.

Then Hays, the WPIAL’s leading rusher entering Friday, broke through with a 58-yard run to make it 28-0 with just over five minutes remaining in the first half.

Bentworth forced another fumble and Ayers recovered on Avella’s next drive, but the Bearcats fumbled on the very next play and Isaiah Stokes picked it up for the Eagles and returned it to the Bentworth 45.

Avella drove down to the Bearcats’ 20, but Ayers ended the drive with his interception in the end zone.

Bentworth turned the ball over again in the final minute of the first half when Bryce Wright intercepted a Watson pass at the Avella 1-yard line.

Preston Jaquay put the game into mercy rule with a 5-yard touchdown run on the opening possession of the third quarter.