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All of Bruin Country is likely talking this morning about the one that got away, after Bear River's upset bid of undefeated Lincoln fell short.
And the word down in Lincoln likely centers on how the 9-0 Zebras were able to run away from Bear River late for their first win over the Bruins since 1987.
But both sides would also likely concur that Lincoln's 29-15 win over the host Bruins wasn't nearly as lopsided as it looks on paper.
The Zebras (5-0 PVL) came into the game fresh off a 13-6 win over previously unbeaten Placer. But despite riding the emotional wave of a big win, Lincoln wasn't about to allow Bear River (4-5) become a trap game.
"You know what, to be honest we weren't surprised by how well they played," said Lincoln coach Ken Lowe. "They bring a great team to the table every week, no matter who they have. We knew they were one of the best 4-4 teams we've seen.
"You know last week, Woodcreek beat Del Oro. And these guys, Bear River, beat Woodcreek. So we pumped up our kids. We were excited to to get a win against Bear River. It had been a long time."
And early on, there was reason to believe the Bruins might pull out the upset to extend their win streak over the Zebras to 16 straight.
Both defenses were up the task in the first quarter, with Bear River picking up the only two first downs by either offense in the opening period of play. And after the Bruin 'D' sent the Zebra offense back to the sideline to open the second, Cole White came up with a 17-yard run up the middle and then another for 33 yards for the game's first score for a 7-0 with 9:23 to go in the second.
Lincoln answered with a 60-yard drive, highlighted by three Alex Cowden runs for 27 yards, Alex Stewart's 14-yard pass to Moses Stanley and Stewart's 15 yard keeper.
The Zebras missed the PAT, but made up for it following their next drive. Bear River punted the ball back to Lincoln's 31 with 1:52 to go in the second quarter. But Cowden ran for 21 yards, Stewart hit Stanley for a 32-yard strike and Dylan Croisant caught a 10-yard toss from Stewart for a 12-7 score. A two-point pass from Stewart to Juan Castillo essentially ended the half.
And the Bruins couldn't wait to start the second. On first-and-10 at the Bear River 46, Johnny Jewett took the ball over the left side for a large gain and then broke back to the right untouched for a 54-yard touchdown. Quarterback James Harris then hit Jewett for a two-point conversion and a 15-14 lead just 20 seconds in the second half.
"Going into the game we wanted the fourth quarter to mean something. We wanted to be in it till the end," said Bear River co-head coach Scott Savoie. "And we were, until about with six minutes left in the fourth quarter."
Midway through the third quarter, though, the Bruins missed a good opportunity. Bear River's "D" onc again held true, stopping the Zebras on fourth-and-1 at the Bear River 11. Bear River ball.
Jewett, who led the Bruins with 103 rushing yards on 13 carries, broke off gains of 13 and seven yards, while Colby Angus hit away up the middle for runs four and three. The Bruins picked up two first downs before facing a second-and-2 at their own 43. On the snap, Harris rolled to his left and had Joey Reina deep downfield, but the quarterback couldn't get the pass off as the Zebras sped to greet him at the sideline to force and recover a fumble.
Six plays later, Cowden ran one yard for a touchdown and Lincoln led 22-15.
The lost fumble was the first of three for the Bruins, while Lincoln had just one turnover, an interception by Bear River's Chris Talbot at the Zebra one-yard line to end a Lincoln threat.
"Obviously, they didn't have many turnvoers," Savoie said. "That's championship football. They're 9-0 for a reason. They didn't make mistakes on a slippery, sloppy field and that was obviously the difference."
Lincoln took advantage of another Bruin fumble -- this one on the quarterback-center exchange -- turning Bear River away at the Zebras' own 20-yard line with 11 minutes to go in the game.
A 69-yard pass from Stewart to Stanley followed to set the Zebras up for business at the Bear River six. Stewart threw for 191 yards on 9-of-11 passing, with Stanley catching five balls for 128 yards. Two snaps later, Tim Bevins scored from one yard out for the 29-15 final after the PAT.
"If I'm not going to win a PVL championship then I want to see Ken Lowe and Lincoln do it," Savoie said. "They've paid their dues and have taken their lumps at times. It's obviously their turn this year.
"We would have like to have been able to throw a stick in their spokes tonight, but we cam up a little short of doing that."
JV: Bear River 47, Lincoln 6
The Bruin junior varsity moved one step closer to an undefeated season Friday night, pounding the visiting Zebras 47-6 to move to 9-0 and within one victory of the Pioneer Valley League championship.
"This was probably our best game we played all year," said Bear River coach Chris Bean. " It was probably our most complete game."
Several Bruins got into the end zone, with Josh Toft being the first on a 13-yard run for a 6-0 lead.
Dallan Huetter scored on a 78-yard keeper, also ran for a six-yard score and hit Justin Butler on a 9-yard pass for a score. Brandon Wooner knocked down a pass, caught it for an interception and returned it 34 yards for a touchdown. Wooner also had two rushing touchdowns, including one that went for 80 yards.
In all the Bear River front line paved the way for a 377-yard night on the ground.
"Our O-line, in the beginning it was struggling," Bean said. "Against Calaveras and Woodcreek, the O-line just wasn't being real physical.
"Now they're just creating huge holes. And our backs are hitting them and running hard. Everything we were hoping for with this group of kids is coming along."
LINCOLN 29, BEAR RIVER 15
L (9-0) 0 14 8 7 — 29
BR (4-5) 0 7 8 0 — 15
Second quarter
BR — Cole White 33 run (Michael Lohrke kick), 9:23.
L — Tim Bevins 1 run (Kick failed), 3:29
L — Dylan Croisant 10 pass from Alex Stewart (Stewart pass to Castillo), :18.
Third quarter
BR — Johnny Jewett 56 run (James Harris pass to Jewett), 11:40.
L — Alex Cowden 1 run (Cowden run), 3:42.
Fourth quarter
L — Bevins 1 run (Garrett Cardinet kick), 7:59.
And the word down in Lincoln likely centers on how the 9-0 Zebras were able to run away from Bear River late for their first win over the Bruins since 1987.
But both sides would also likely concur that Lincoln's 29-15 win over the host Bruins wasn't nearly as lopsided as it looks on paper.
The Zebras (5-0 PVL) came into the game fresh off a 13-6 win over previously unbeaten Placer. But despite riding the emotional wave of a big win, Lincoln wasn't about to allow Bear River (4-5) become a trap game.
"You know what, to be honest we weren't surprised by how well they played," said Lincoln coach Ken Lowe. "They bring a great team to the table every week, no matter who they have. We knew they were one of the best 4-4 teams we've seen.
"You know last week, Woodcreek beat Del Oro. And these guys, Bear River, beat Woodcreek. So we pumped up our kids. We were excited to to get a win against Bear River. It had been a long time."
And early on, there was reason to believe the Bruins might pull out the upset to extend their win streak over the Zebras to 16 straight.
Both defenses were up the task in the first quarter, with Bear River picking up the only two first downs by either offense in the opening period of play. And after the Bruin 'D' sent the Zebra offense back to the sideline to open the second, Cole White came up with a 17-yard run up the middle and then another for 33 yards for the game's first score for a 7-0 with 9:23 to go in the second.
Lincoln answered with a 60-yard drive, highlighted by three Alex Cowden runs for 27 yards, Alex Stewart's 14-yard pass to Moses Stanley and Stewart's 15 yard keeper.
The Zebras missed the PAT, but made up for it following their next drive. Bear River punted the ball back to Lincoln's 31 with 1:52 to go in the second quarter. But Cowden ran for 21 yards, Stewart hit Stanley for a 32-yard strike and Dylan Croisant caught a 10-yard toss from Stewart for a 12-7 score. A two-point pass from Stewart to Juan Castillo essentially ended the half.
And the Bruins couldn't wait to start the second. On first-and-10 at the Bear River 46, Johnny Jewett took the ball over the left side for a large gain and then broke back to the right untouched for a 54-yard touchdown. Quarterback James Harris then hit Jewett for a two-point conversion and a 15-14 lead just 20 seconds in the second half.
"Going into the game we wanted the fourth quarter to mean something. We wanted to be in it till the end," said Bear River co-head coach Scott Savoie. "And we were, until about with six minutes left in the fourth quarter."
Midway through the third quarter, though, the Bruins missed a good opportunity. Bear River's "D" onc again held true, stopping the Zebras on fourth-and-1 at the Bear River 11. Bear River ball.
Jewett, who led the Bruins with 103 rushing yards on 13 carries, broke off gains of 13 and seven yards, while Colby Angus hit away up the middle for runs four and three. The Bruins picked up two first downs before facing a second-and-2 at their own 43. On the snap, Harris rolled to his left and had Joey Reina deep downfield, but the quarterback couldn't get the pass off as the Zebras sped to greet him at the sideline to force and recover a fumble.
Six plays later, Cowden ran one yard for a touchdown and Lincoln led 22-15.
The lost fumble was the first of three for the Bruins, while Lincoln had just one turnover, an interception by Bear River's Chris Talbot at the Zebra one-yard line to end a Lincoln threat.
"Obviously, they didn't have many turnvoers," Savoie said. "That's championship football. They're 9-0 for a reason. They didn't make mistakes on a slippery, sloppy field and that was obviously the difference."
Lincoln took advantage of another Bruin fumble -- this one on the quarterback-center exchange -- turning Bear River away at the Zebras' own 20-yard line with 11 minutes to go in the game.
A 69-yard pass from Stewart to Stanley followed to set the Zebras up for business at the Bear River six. Stewart threw for 191 yards on 9-of-11 passing, with Stanley catching five balls for 128 yards. Two snaps later, Tim Bevins scored from one yard out for the 29-15 final after the PAT.
"If I'm not going to win a PVL championship then I want to see Ken Lowe and Lincoln do it," Savoie said. "They've paid their dues and have taken their lumps at times. It's obviously their turn this year.
"We would have like to have been able to throw a stick in their spokes tonight, but we cam up a little short of doing that."
JV: Bear River 47, Lincoln 6
The Bruin junior varsity moved one step closer to an undefeated season Friday night, pounding the visiting Zebras 47-6 to move to 9-0 and within one victory of the Pioneer Valley League championship.
"This was probably our best game we played all year," said Bear River coach Chris Bean. " It was probably our most complete game."
Several Bruins got into the end zone, with Josh Toft being the first on a 13-yard run for a 6-0 lead.
Dallan Huetter scored on a 78-yard keeper, also ran for a six-yard score and hit Justin Butler on a 9-yard pass for a score. Brandon Wooner knocked down a pass, caught it for an interception and returned it 34 yards for a touchdown. Wooner also had two rushing touchdowns, including one that went for 80 yards.
In all the Bear River front line paved the way for a 377-yard night on the ground.
"Our O-line, in the beginning it was struggling," Bean said. "Against Calaveras and Woodcreek, the O-line just wasn't being real physical.
"Now they're just creating huge holes. And our backs are hitting them and running hard. Everything we were hoping for with this group of kids is coming along."
LINCOLN 29, BEAR RIVER 15
L (9-0) 0 14 8 7 — 29
BR (4-5) 0 7 8 0 — 15
Second quarter
BR — Cole White 33 run (Michael Lohrke kick), 9:23.
L — Tim Bevins 1 run (Kick failed), 3:29
L — Dylan Croisant 10 pass from Alex Stewart (Stewart pass to Castillo), :18.
Third quarter
BR — Johnny Jewett 56 run (James Harris pass to Jewett), 11:40.
L — Alex Cowden 1 run (Cowden run), 3:42.
Fourth quarter
L — Bevins 1 run (Garrett Cardinet kick), 7:59.
