Badgers outlast Priest River 12-7
—Photo by ROBERT JAMES<br>Daniel Botkin (23) sprints into the end zone ahead of Priest River's J.P. Ramsey to score the Badgers' first touchdown in their 12-7 win.
By ROBERT JAMES
Managing Editor
Bonners Ferry had some good luck, a tough ground game and a great defensive effort Friday night as the Badgers ground out a 12-7 win over visiting Priest River.
Josh Hawks scored the go-ahead touchdown for Bonners Ferry (3-3, 2-0) after a fortunate bounce for the Badgers. Priest River stopped Bonners Ferry on third and goal from the five yard line with 1:00 to play in the third quarter and the Spartans leading 7-6.
Bonners Ferry lined up for the field goal, with Hawks as the kicker.
Priest River broke through and blocked the kick, but Hawks picked up the loose ball behind the line and drove his way into the end zone to give Bonners Ferry a 12-7 lead.
Neither team could score in the fourth quarter and when the Badgers' Daniel Botkin picked off Richie Morales' halfback pass with 2:23 left in the game, Bonners Ferry ground out the clock to win the game.
The Badgers' John Heigel picked up 60 yards rushing in the fourth quarter alone, which allowed Bonners Ferry to keep the ball for more than eight minutes in the quarter.
"That was very tough to lose," Spartans head coach Ray Stookey said. "I'm disappointed we lost against a team we should have beat."
The Badgers took a 6-0 lead in the game when Botkin snared a 23-yard pass from quarterback A.J. Bennett in the first quarter.
Priest River came right back, though, and on fourth down, quarterback Dustin Lehman hit Justin Mills in the right corner of the end zone from 16 yards out.
Zach Clow's PAT was good and Priest River took a 7-6 lead into halftime.
After trading punts in the third quarter, Bonners Ferry took off on a 14-play 79-yard drive culminated by Hawks' blocked-field goal touchdown.
Hawks ran for 89 yards and a touchdown in the game.
The Badgers held Morales, the highly talented Spartan running back, to just 20 yards in the second half and 98 yards for the game.
"It was good to get our running game going," Badgers coach Caleb Arceneaux said. "It's a good win against a tough team."
The Badgers travel to Timberlake Friday night for a showdown of league unbeatens. Game time is 7 p.m.