A game played in a cold, steady rain was worth every drop for Bear River High School football coach Scott Savoie.
Bear River (3-1, 1-0 Pioneer Valley League) downed No. 16 Colfax 31-12 in Colfax on Friday night, ending a string of seven consecutive triumphs by the Falcons (2-2, 0-1) over the Bruins and avenging a crushing 28-0 loss in last season's final week that kept them out of the playoffs.
For as much as Savoie said afterward he didn't mind the rain, he didn't think it was a good omen at the start of the game.
"The rain hasn't helped us in the last couple years," Savoie said. "In fact, I wasn't happy when it started raining tonight."
The Bruins – and to some extent the rain – shut down the Falcons' high-flying offense, which entered Friday's game averaging just over 330 yards per game. Colfax managed 132 yards.
Colfax quarterback Spencer Lewis completed only 7 of 20 passes, many of which slipped from his receivers' fingertips, with three interceptions.
Two of the interceptions came in the first half and gave the Bruins 10 points as they held the ball for an astounding 18:04 of the first 24 minutes, including 10:45 in the first quarter.
The Bruins' backfield duo of Johnny Jewett (79 yards on 24 carries) and Jason Varni (156 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries), ate the clock and kept the ball out of Colfax's hands.
"We ran a lot, ran it down their throat," Jewett said. "The line pushed, the backs pushed. That's how we do it."
The Bruins took the opening kickoff to the Falcons' 3-yard line and missed a 22-yard field goal but got the ball back on the next play on a Cody Van Fossen interception. The ensuing drive ended on a five-yard touchdown pass from Tanner Mathias to Garret Barbicon on fourth and goal.
Van Fossen kicked a 36-yard field goal, set up by a Casey O'Donnell interception, with 7:48 remaining in the first half to give the Bruins a 10-0 lead before the Falcons had run 10 plays.
Bear River led 10-6 at halftime and spent the second half punishing the Colfax defense with running plays.
"We knew we had to run and waste clock," Jewett said.
The win puts Bear River in contention in the PVL, but Division IV section runner-up Whitney looms in two weeks. Next week, the Bruins take on defending D-VI section champion Lindhurst.
"This (win) sets up the season for us," Jewett said.
Call The Bee's John Parker, (916) 326-5519.
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