PREPS: Football earns season first win, volleyball at Eureka

BONNERS FERRY — Badger football (1-2) led 24-0 going into half-time then had to pull out all the defensive stops in the second half to win their first victory of the season over the 3A St. Maries Lumberjacks (0-2) of the Central Idaho League.  

The Badgers led 8-0 in the first quarter after a rushing score from Spiro Petras at the two-yard line and a two-point conversion off a rush by quarterback Brody Rice.  

Bonners kept up the pace in the second quarter with linebacker Conrad Hiatt sacking the Lumberjack quarterback on the first play.  With five minutes left in the half, Rice connected with wide receiver Cooper Higgins for a 31-yard touchdown. Rice faked a field goal kick instead opting for a two-point conversion and seeing Jake Solt in the endzone.  

With one minute left in the half, Rice found Higgins again for a deep pass and another touchdown. Higgins then scored the two-point conversion. Giving the Badgers a 24-0 lead at halftime.  

The Lumberjacks bounced back in the third quarter by scoring two touchdowns and two two-point conversions. The second touchdown was off a recovered Badger fumble. The Jacks trailed the Badgers 24-16.  

The fourth quarter both teams were all in, the Badgers made attempts on offense but to no avail.  

In the final three minutes, St. Maries was on second attempt at the eight-yard line when their ball carrier attempted an illegal leap over cornerback Bradlee Bennett. The Lumberjacks flipped head over heels, and Bennett was knocked down and taken off the field for a medical check.  

The Jacks received a penalty and were moved to the 21-yard line and scored on the fourth down with 2:43 left. St. Maries attempted a two-point conversion to tie the game, but Bennett, cleared by medical staff, tackled the ball carrier at about the five yard line.  

The Badgers won 24-22. 

“The biggest thing that we did, was we found that fire, that passion to come out on the field,” Bonners Ferry head coach Danny Swift said. “Before we were just going through the motions, especially in the first half. The second half we had some things go our way, our momentum swung, and we held on. Last week we won a quarter, this week we won a half.” 

In the second quarter the Badgers averaged three yards for every carry. Swift said if the team can keep the momentum up it should be a great season.  

Rice threw seven for 10 for 94 yards, two touchdowns and a long of 33 yards.  

For St. Maries, Jack Barta was four for 12 for 50 yards, one touchdown and a long of 15 yards.  

Rice led the Badgers in rushing yards with nine carries for 66 yards, with a long of 40.  Conrad Hiatt had 16 carries, 46 yards and a long of 12 yards. Spiro Petras had 10 carries for 34 yards. The Badgers had a total of 42 carries for 176 yards.  

Cooper Higgins led the Badgers with two receptions for 62 yards a long of 33 yards and two touchdowns. Jake Solt had three receptions for 21 yards.   

Darci Vincent led the Badgers with seven tackles and one sack, followed by Alex Taylor with six tackles. Hiatt had one sack for a loss of 10 yards.  

Bonners Ferry hosts Northwest Christian on for Homecoming on Friday at 7 p.m.  

BONNERS FERRY  8 16 00---24 

ST. MARIES 00 16 6---22 

SCORING PLAYS 

BF — Brody Rice 2 run (conversion successful) 

BF — Cooper Higgins 34 pass from Rice (Rice run) 

BF — Higgins 30 pass from Rice (conversion run) 

SM — Julien Ceja-Grimaldo 42 run (run successful) 

SM — Hayden Defoort 65 fumble return (Defoort run) 

SM — Brock Barta 11 pass from Jack Barta (conversion failed) 

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS 

RUSHING — SM, Ceja-Grimaldo 7-94, Dittman 14-48, J. Barta 6-6. BF, Hiatt 15-38.  

PASSING — SM, J. Barta 4-12-0-50. BF, Rice, 7-10-0-97.  

RECEIVING — SM, Ceja-Grimaldo 2-26, B. Barta 2-24. BF, Higgins 2-64. 

Volleyball  

Bonners Ferry volleyball traveled to Eureka to face the Lincoln County Cougars. No scores were posted at the time of publication.  

Volleyball faces Genesis Prep on Saturday, Sept. 14 in Post Falls at 4 p.m.