BEAR RIVER HIGH - By Justus Wise, Headliner Sports Editor, October 12, 2021
The weather did not want to cooperate last week for the Bear River High football team. While the highly anticipated senior night game was scheduled for Friday, October 9, was postponed until the next day due to lightning in the area, Saturday afternoon’s weather was much more cooperative.
The Bears hosted the Mountain Crest High Mustangs in a rare 2021 home game and played on a still logo-less turfed field. The Bears defense held the Stangs scoreless in the first quarter and held them to only one score going into halftime despite turnovers and only seven plays on offense. A blocked punt, recovery and then subsequent score by senior Wyatt Roberts put the Bears on the scoreboard and energized the Bears going into the half.
The Stangs, after stopping the Bears’ offense in the third quarter, scored but then put the ball back into the hands of sophomore quarterback Owen Olsen. Olsen, poised and calm, connected to senior Gage Hansen on an incredible pass taking the Bears into the redzone. Another connection between Olsen and Hansen resulted in the Bears’ second and final score of the night. Story continues below...
The Bears, as with the rest of the season, were down but simply refused to quit. The fourth quarter came, and the Bears simply could not move the ball effectively. The Stangs’ quarterback was too shifty and too fast for the boys to stop their run game.
This, combined with much help from refs, resulted in the Bears losing 28-14. A reliable source said that there were multiple plays wherein the Stangs spent over a minute in-between plays, the normally allotted time is forty seconds and the Bears have been penalized for this over five times during the season.
The Bears’ Region 11 season has officially ended, and they will play a yet undetermined team on Friday, October 22, for the first round of the 4A state playoffs.
Here’s a quick recap of the Region 11 season for the Bear River High football team including links to re-watch games courtesy of Bear River Live.
Sky View 37, Bear River 21 (September 10)
Logan 46, Bear River 42 (September 19)
Green Canyon 38, Bear River 7 (September 24)
Ridgeline 49, Bear River 7 (October 1)
Mountain Crest 28, Bear River 14 (October 9)
As a Bear River football aficionado, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that this senior class is one of the toughest to walk through the halls of Bear River High School.
“Any other senior class would hang on as long as they could until they were able to give up. Not this team. Not these seniors,” remarked Bear River High football team’s head coach Chris Wise.
More could not be stacked against a team, blown calls, seven out of nine games on the road, injuries to key players at key moments, and times where multiple players literally never came off the field the entire game. To the senior class we collectively love you and applaud you.
Photos by Ted Richards
Comments