Yoemen Ring the Bell: Cameron Routs Rockdale to Stay Unbeaten

CAMERON, TX — The bell stays in Cameron.

The C.H. Yoe Yoemen went to Rockdale on Friday, Oct. 9, and beat the Tigers 65-28 in the Battle of the Bell, the annual rivalry game between the two Milam County schools. The win keeps Cameron unbeaten at 6-0 overall and 3-0 in District 12-3A Division I, alone in first place.

Rockdale falls to 0-6 overall and 0-3 in district.

It is the Yoemen's third straight win in the series. Cameron won the 2024 meeting at Rockdale 35-10 and took last year's game in Cameron 55-28.

A season of statements

The Yoemen entered the Bell game 5-0, their first 5-0 start since 2013, after three straight losing seasons — including a 3-7 finish a year ago. Ranked No. 9 in Class 3A Division I, Cameron has built the start on an offense that has scored at least 38 points in every game:

- Aug. 28 — Teague, W 21-14

- Sept. 3 — at Whitney, W 62-61

- Sept. 11 — Salado, W 38-23

- Sept. 25 — at McGregor, W 46-9

- Oct. 2 — Franklin, W in overtime by one point

- Oct. 9 — at Rockdale, W 65-28

The signature win came at Whitney on Sept. 3. Sophomore quarterback Kourtlyn Townsend, making his first start, threw for 625 yards and seven touchdowns as the Yoemen rallied from a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit. Townsend tied the game at 55 late on a 67-yard touchdown pass to Jacobe Scott, and Andrew Castillo returned a fumble for the go-ahead score in the final minute before the defense stopped Whitney's fake extra-point try to seal it. Scott (160 receiving yards, two touchdowns), Javarius Johnson (152 yards, three touchdowns) and Dallen Wilcox (117 yards, two touchdowns) all topped 100 receiving yards, and linebackers Jamarcus LeGrand and Gabriel Cerros made 16 and 12 tackles.

Townsend kept it going in district play, throwing for 294 yards and four touchdowns at McGregor to reach 1,330 passing yards and 16 touchdowns through the season's first four games. A week later, Cameron beat Franklin at Yoe Field in overtime — its first win over the Lions since 2021 — stopping a two-point conversion try to end it.

Honors rolling in

The fast start has drawn attention beyond Milam County. Texas HS Football named the Yoemen its Week Two Class 3A Team of the Week after the Whitney comeback, and Townsend's 625-yard night was featured in statewide coverage as one of the biggest passing performances in Texas high school history.

What's next

The Yoemen return home to Yoe Field on Friday, Oct. 16, to host Troy (5-1 overall, 2-1 in district) in a matchup of the district's top two teams. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.