Badgers host Kellogg Friday
Bonners Ferry’s playoff hopes remain alive, despite Friday’s 47-20 loss to league leader Timberlake.
Should the Badgers, who are 1-2 in the Intermountain League, beat Kellogg on Friday, Oct. 16, and Orofino on Friday, Oct. 23, they can expect to face Priest River in the first playoff game, said Bonners coach Ed DePriest.
“These are two teams we have the ability to beat if we play well and do all the things we should do,” DePriest said.
When the Badgers met the Spartans three weeks ago on a rainy Friday night, Bonners Ferry lost 20-12.
Assuming Bonners Ferry wins only one of its final two games, the Badgers will go up against Timberlake again in the first round of the playoffs on the Tigers’ home turf, DePriest said.
As for last Friday, Timberlake senior running back John Shaffer led the Tigers to victory with two kickoff returns for touchdowns.
“We knew they were a really good football team,” DePriest said. “Everyone expected them to be at the top of the division. They could be one of the best teams in the state. Our kids played hard. They fought to the end.”
Shaffer returned the opening play of the game for an 85-yard touchdown. The kick was good.
Timberlake senior John Morris, who was ejected from the game in the fourth quarter for poor sportsmanship, scored on a 1-yard run with 1:12 left in the first quarter. The kick failed.
The Badgers scored after senior Derrick Alt caught an interception on the Tigers’ 28-yard line with 7:48 left in the second quarter. Quarterback Taylor Tompke ran in for a 22-yard touchdown.
On the kickoff, Shaffer ran the ball 80 yards for a touchdown with 7:32 left in the second quarter.
Timberlake scored in the third quarter with 6:51 left, but failed at the two-point conversion.
Timberlake senior Derek Tymesen scored on 1-yard run with 40 seconds left in the third quarter. The kick was good.
With 23 seconds left in the third quarter, Badger senior Rob Gust returned a kickoff for 85 yards for a touchdown. Watt’s kick was good.
Morris scored on another run with 11:19 remaining in the game.
With 5:20 left in the fourth, Tompke threw a 55-yard touchdown to senior Colton Telford.
Bonners Ferry 0 7 7 0 — 20
Timberlake 13 14 13 0 — 47
TL — John Shaffer 85 kickoff return (kick good)
TL — John Morris 1 run (kick failed)
BF — Taylor Tompke 22 run (Colton Watt kick)
TL — Shaffer 80 punt return (kick failed)
TL — Morris 3 run (Derek Puckett to Morris)
TL — (run failed)
TL — Tymesen 1 run (kick good)
BF — Rob Gust 85 kickoff return (Watt kick)
TL — Morris run (kick good)
BF — Tompke 55 pass to Colton Telford