Badger first season victory against Kellogg
BONNERS FERRY — The game went down to the wire but the 3A Badger football (2-5) secured its first season win against 2A Kellogg (2-5, 1-1) at home on Oct. 6, 20-14.
The Badgers’ only previous win was by forfeit from Foothills Composite High School in Okotoks, Alberta, Canada, but had yet to be victorious under the lights and on a four-game losing streak.
In the first seven minutes of the game, senior running back Matt Treutelar scored for Bonners Ferry. Treutelar visited the endzone again with the two-point conversion.
The Badgers recovered the ball on the next play when Kellogg fumbled the ball at the 35-yard line.
“The Badger defense led by Dakoda Heller’s 12 tackles was able to slow the pass happy Kellogg offense,” said Bonners Ferry head coach Danny Swift.
Toward the end of the second quarter, the Badgers held the Wildcats at the 1-yard line. With 4:18 left in the half on third-and-nine on the 2-yard line, quarterback Brody Rice connected with senior halfback Dakota Heller, who ran the ball down the field for a 98-yard touchdown.
With 2:21 minutes left in the half, Kellogg on a first down looked deep for a throw, but it was intercepted by Rice in the air fending off two Wildcats. Later, Badger junior linebacker Alex Taylor sacked the Kellogg quarterback as the clock ticked down. The Badgers led 14-0 at the half.
Kellogg got on the scoreboard halfway through the third quarter. The Wildcats tacked on a two-point conversion, making it 14-8. The Badger defense held Kellogg for the rest of the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter, the Badgers and Wildcats each got on the board, scoring a touchdown apiece.
The Badgers scored first with senior running back Trey Bateman crashing in the endzone to give Bonners Ferry a 20-8 lead.
With 6 minutes left in the game Kellogg rushed up the middle from the 5-yard line, making it 20-14.
The Badgers looked to score again, but were stopped at the 41-yard line. With 2:15 left on the clock, it was Wildcat ball. Kellogg earned a first down and inched toward the end zone. With less than a minute left Kellogg was 10 yards to goal.
Badger sophomore defensive end, Sulaymanu Abubakari blocked a pass by the Wildcats. A holding penalty was called on the next play and the down was replayed, with the Kellogg touchdown voided.
With just under 25 seconds left and the Wildcats facing a fourth down with four yards to go, the Bonners Ferry student section hovered just off the field, cheering on the defense in the final advance.
Kellogg looked deep into the endzone, but the ball slipped through the receiver’s hands, giving the Badgers their first victory of the season.
“The defense played well in the second half holding the Kellogg offense to 14 points,” Swift said. “Mathias Gardner forced a fumble and Eli Leyden recovered it. Sulay Abubakari and Jacob Solt combined for a timely first half sack.”
“The offensive line of Kolten Rude, Kai Aitken, Andrew Erhardt, Makeen Loretto, Sulay Abubakari and Taylor Dodd paved the way for Treutelaar to rush 29 times for 129 yards, Heller to rush 9 times for 40 yards and Trey Bateman to rush 6 times for 38 yards and the final touchdown of the game for the Badgers,” he said.
The JV team also had a great team win in Kellogg 24-18 on Thursday, Oct. 5, pushing their unbeaten streak to four games.
“Taysean Spotted-Horse and Spiro Petras carried the ball behind great o-line play and Alex Stolley continues to command the offense well at the QB position,” Swift said. “The defense played great and continued to make strides in a positive direction.”
Varsity homecoming is Friday, Oct. 13 at 7 p.m. Friday against Orofino C-team plays at home on Thursday at 6 p.m. against Rocky Mountain (Cranbrook).
BF—8606—20
Kellogg—0086—14
Points: BF: TDs, M. Treutelar, Bateman and Heller, 1. Conversion, Treatelar, 1.
Kellogg, stats not available.
Bonner Ferry hosts the 2A Orofino Maniacs (05) for Homecoming and non-league game on Oct. 13 at 7 p.m.
BF Stats
QB-Rice: 3 completions, 6 attempts, 122 passing yards, .500 completion %, 40.7 average yards per completion, 1 TD, 1 passing interception, 98 yard passing long.
Rushing: M. Treutelar, 29 carries, 142 yards, 4.9 yard average, 15 yard long, 1 TD; T. Bateman 6 carries, 38 yards, 6.3 yard average, 12 yard long, 1 TD; D. Heller, 9 carries, 40 yards, 4.4 yard average, 13 long.
Receiving: Bateman, 1 reception, 24 yards; Heller, 2 receptions, 98 yards, average 49 yards, long 98 yards, 1 TD.
Kickoff Returns: Treuteler 14 yards; Conrad Hiatt 13 yards.
Total Yards: Treutelar 156, Hiatt 13, Bateman 62, Heller 138.
Tackles (Top 3 players): Matthias Gardner, 7 solo, 2 assisted; Heller, 5 solo, seven assisted; Bateman, 3 solo, 2 assisted.
Sacks: A. Taylor, 1 sack, 7 yards loss, 3 QB hurries; Jacob Solt, .5 sacks, 5 yard loss, S. Abubakari, .5 sacks, 5 yard loss.
Defensive fumble: Bateman 1, Gardner 1.
