SKY VIEW HIGH - By Justus Wise, Headliner Sports Editor - September 13, 2021
The Bear River High School football team traveled into Cache Valley on Friday, September 10, to face off against their first Region 11 opponent of the season, the Sky View High School Bobcats.
“We had a great game plan, both offensively and defensively, going into it,” said Bear River High’s head football coach Chris Wise. “The boys executed well, overall.”
That they did. The Bears’ put up a good fight and played better than they have all season accruing over 300 yards in total offense and shocking everyone.
“Somebody must have forgotten to tell them that the game was supposed to be a blow out or, in my opinion, they ignored all those who said it would be.”
Despite the good, crowd-silencing performance by the Bears, they lost to Sky View, 37-21.
The first quarter started late, due to a lightning delay that lasted about an hour but was quickly underway when Sky View scored the first points of the game with a touchdown during their first possession. The Bears’ defense held Sky View to that singular touchdown for the rest of the quarter.
The Bears’ offense responded in the second quarter with a four-yard touchdown run from senior Alec Callister. The Cats, however, would not take this laying down and put together an impressive drive that would reclaim the lead right before half.
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The Bears came out of half with the ball but failed to put a successful drive together and were forced to punt after a devastating sack delivered to Bear River’s quarterback Ryker Jeppsen. Sky View scored quickly after taking possession making the score 21-7.
“As the rain began to fall and fair-weather fans began to leave the Bears began to develop a chip on their shoulder the size of Sky View’s ego. The Bears’ offense took the field and, with a big middle finger to the world, declared that they were still in the fight.”
Jeppsen connected with senior Gage Hansen for one of the most beautiful passing touchdowns ever witnessed. Sky View’s corner simply could not hang with Hansen who slipped right behind him and took the ball 80-yards for the Bears’ second touchdown of the evening. The game, now a one score game, was in the Bears’ hands.
They decided to capitalize on that momentum with a successful onside kick from Ammon Nelson that had the sideline and bleachers brimming with excitement. Unfortunately, the Bears could not capitalize on this extra possession and kicked the ball away at the end of the quarter. The Cats, now in possession of the ball, marched down the field again to score on a 17-yard pass.
Absolutely refusing to give up, the Bears scored again. This time a nine-yard connection from Jeppsen to Wyatt Roberts, a senior. Now, still a one score game, was when the football gods, in all their infinite wisdom, began to tip the scales towards Sky View’s favor.
They scored on a “never-again-in-a-million-years” 44-yard run that would have been stopped had the Sky View runner not fumbled the ball forward, landing directly into the hands of one of his teammates. The Bears, time now running out, attempted to score but were quickly stopped when a snap went high over Jeppsen’s head, a rare occurrence for junior center Brian Lemus, into the end zone where the Cats scored a safety.
“The end score would be 37-21 and, possibly to the fans that left early, this score would seem like a complete and utter defeat. But to us, those who know better, it is a monumental step forward in the development of our team as they enter region play.”
“We are so proud of the way they played,” said Wise. “We just need to get rid of the penalties and do better on special teams.”
Catch all the action again courtesy of Bear River Live on the link below or at Football | brlive (brlivestream.com)
https://youtu.be/VZSQzpxoNbo
The Bears will have their first home game of the season on Friday, September 17, as they face off against the Logan High School Grizzlies on the new turf just in time for this year’s homecoming week. Game time is set for 7 p.m.
Photos courtesy of Ted Richards
