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MARYSVILLE — After digging themselves into a 13-0 hole in the first half, and after battling back over the final 24 minutes, Bear River's Bruins gave themselves a shot at winning their first-round playoff matchup with host Marysville with 1:34 remaining in the game.
On fourth-and-goal at the one-yard line, Bear River senior Sam Houston broke into the end zone to bring the Bruins within one point of tying the Indians or two points away from the win. Bear River co-head coaches Terry Logue and Scott Savoie said there was no question what they intended to do.
The Bruins went for the two points and the win.
But Bear River quarterback James Harris was dragged down on the left sideline, unable to find an open receiver and unable to beat the speedy Indian defenders in his face, as Marysville turned the Bruins away for an eventual 13-12 victory.
Marysville moves on to the second round of the Division IV playoffs, while Bear River will pack away its gear until next year.
“We didn't play well in the first half,” said Savoie. “That was the focus at halftime. That we had 24 minutes left. Were we going to lay the egg or go out fighting?
“At least we went out fighting.”
Bear River finally lit up its side of the scoreboard with 7:22 to go in the game. Houston scored the first of his two touchdowns on a two-yard tote over the left side of the line. But the ensuing point-after kick by junior Jack Tortorici hit the right upright of the goal post and the Bruins trailed 13-6.
“Missing the PAT on the first score was pivotal,” Savoie said. “If we made the first one, we surely would have kicked the second one. It kind of forced our hand and we had to try and win it outright with the two-point conversion.
“I thought we might have caught them off guard, too. But it didn't work.”
On the two-point conversion attempt, Savoie went with a combination that had worked for much of the night. Harris had hit junior wideout Harley Sauers hooked up on six passes for 77 yards.
But on the biggest play of the game, Marysville finally had an answer.
“We had already decided we were going for two. There was no guarantee that we'd make the kick to tie it,” Logue said. “So we felt like we should go for two and we called a play that had worked five or six times. And then they stopped it for once.”
Bruin senior offensive lineman Jason Grady said he saw his quarterback under pressure and just hoped he'd be able to find the open man as the defenders closed.
“I knew there were a lot of guys coming,” Grady said. “I was screaming for him to get rid of it, but we just didn't have anybody (open) and there wasn't enough time.”
Bear River racked up 194 rushing yards on the night, including 128 yards in the second half. Houston ran the ball 20 times for 85 yards and two scores, while junior Josh Toft added 89 yards on 19 carries. Junior Dallen Heutter had 20 yards on two touches. Harris completed 9-of-17 passes for 105 yards and no interceptions.
“We were just fed up. We hadn't scored in six quarters,” said Grady said of the Bruin locker room at halftime. “We were playing like we knew we could and our pride was hurting.
“So we did what we needed to do, and came up short.”
Marysville was led by senior halfback Michael Barabin, who had 90 rushing yards and a seven-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. Sophomore fullback Cole Hannum added 70 yards on the ground. Senior quarterback Steven Arestegui, while struggling with 3-of-7 passing, came up with one-yard quarterback keeper for a touchdown — and the 13-0 lead — with four seconds remaining in the first half.
Arestegui's score came after he had hit junior wideout Zack Herrington on a 32-yard pass on third-and-25 that brought the ball to the Bruin two-yard line with under a minute remaining in the half.
“What hurt was that last score at the end of the first half,” Logue said. “We had them in a third-and-miles to go and they hit on the long pass.
“We just played with more intensity in the second half and things got better. And when it came down to it in the end, we felt like we had to go for the win.”
Bear River finished season with a 7-4 record.
Contact Sports Editor Brian Hamilton via e-mail at bhamilton@theunion.com or by phone at 477-4240.
On fourth-and-goal at the one-yard line, Bear River senior Sam Houston broke into the end zone to bring the Bruins within one point of tying the Indians or two points away from the win. Bear River co-head coaches Terry Logue and Scott Savoie said there was no question what they intended to do.
The Bruins went for the two points and the win.
But Bear River quarterback James Harris was dragged down on the left sideline, unable to find an open receiver and unable to beat the speedy Indian defenders in his face, as Marysville turned the Bruins away for an eventual 13-12 victory.
Marysville moves on to the second round of the Division IV playoffs, while Bear River will pack away its gear until next year.
“We didn't play well in the first half,” said Savoie. “That was the focus at halftime. That we had 24 minutes left. Were we going to lay the egg or go out fighting?
“At least we went out fighting.”
Bear River finally lit up its side of the scoreboard with 7:22 to go in the game. Houston scored the first of his two touchdowns on a two-yard tote over the left side of the line. But the ensuing point-after kick by junior Jack Tortorici hit the right upright of the goal post and the Bruins trailed 13-6.
“Missing the PAT on the first score was pivotal,” Savoie said. “If we made the first one, we surely would have kicked the second one. It kind of forced our hand and we had to try and win it outright with the two-point conversion.
“I thought we might have caught them off guard, too. But it didn't work.”
On the two-point conversion attempt, Savoie went with a combination that had worked for much of the night. Harris had hit junior wideout Harley Sauers hooked up on six passes for 77 yards.
But on the biggest play of the game, Marysville finally had an answer.
“We had already decided we were going for two. There was no guarantee that we'd make the kick to tie it,” Logue said. “So we felt like we should go for two and we called a play that had worked five or six times. And then they stopped it for once.”
Bruin senior offensive lineman Jason Grady said he saw his quarterback under pressure and just hoped he'd be able to find the open man as the defenders closed.
“I knew there were a lot of guys coming,” Grady said. “I was screaming for him to get rid of it, but we just didn't have anybody (open) and there wasn't enough time.”
Bear River racked up 194 rushing yards on the night, including 128 yards in the second half. Houston ran the ball 20 times for 85 yards and two scores, while junior Josh Toft added 89 yards on 19 carries. Junior Dallen Heutter had 20 yards on two touches. Harris completed 9-of-17 passes for 105 yards and no interceptions.
“We were just fed up. We hadn't scored in six quarters,” said Grady said of the Bruin locker room at halftime. “We were playing like we knew we could and our pride was hurting.
“So we did what we needed to do, and came up short.”
Marysville was led by senior halfback Michael Barabin, who had 90 rushing yards and a seven-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. Sophomore fullback Cole Hannum added 70 yards on the ground. Senior quarterback Steven Arestegui, while struggling with 3-of-7 passing, came up with one-yard quarterback keeper for a touchdown — and the 13-0 lead — with four seconds remaining in the first half.
Arestegui's score came after he had hit junior wideout Zack Herrington on a 32-yard pass on third-and-25 that brought the ball to the Bruin two-yard line with under a minute remaining in the half.
“What hurt was that last score at the end of the first half,” Logue said. “We had them in a third-and-miles to go and they hit on the long pass.
“We just played with more intensity in the second half and things got better. And when it came down to it in the end, we felt like we had to go for the win.”
Bear River finished season with a 7-4 record.
Contact Sports Editor Brian Hamilton via e-mail at bhamilton@theunion.com or by phone at 477-4240.
Marysville 13, Bear River 12
BR (7-4) 0 0 0 12 — 12M (8-3) 0 13 0 0 — 13
Second quarter
M — Michael Barabin 7 run (Jose Murillo kick), 5:47.
M — Steven Arestegui 1 run (Kick blocked), :04.
Fourth quarter
BR — Sam Houston 2 run (Kick failed), 7:22.
BR — Houston 1 run (Run failed), 1:34.
