Coach Bavaro and his #13 OSAA ranked BHHS varsity Bruin football team were on the road Saturday for their first play-off game of the 2019 season in Amity Oregon against the 7-2 #4 OSAA ranked Amity Warriors.
Amity came into the game averaging 36 points a game on offense and had 4 shut outs on the season. The Bruins averaged 28 points per game but it has been their defense that has kept the Bruins in tough games.
The Bruins kicked to the Warriors to start the game and Amity wasted no time establishing their run game driving down the field and inside the 10 yard line. The Warriors then ran a toss sweep to the left and outran the Bruin defense into the endzone. Amity missed the 2 point conversion and took the 0-6 lead early.
On the ensuing kick-off Amity successfully executed an onside kick that caught the Bruins off guard, giving the Warriors excellent field position at the 50 yard line. On the very next play the Warrior quarterback dropped back and completed his second pass of the game on a 50 yard post pattern for another Warrior touchdown.
With the score now 0-12 before the Bruin offense touched the ball, the Bruins started junior Logan Holler #11 at quarterback and added some new looks to the Bruin offense. Again untimely and unnecessary fouls hurt the Bruins as they negated some big offensive plays .
But the new look Bruin offense showed flashes of success with a short outlet pass option offense that allowed the quarterback to quickly get the ball to the edges with short outlet passes or keep it and run.
The Bruins were also without power running back senior Manny Zamora #26 and Coach Bavaro adjusted by running the backfield by committee as Ethan Hooper #10, Bradly Conduraki #21, Andrew Burger #4 and Peyton Armentrout all had touches running the ball. The Bruins put together a long sustained drive at the end of the first quarter and a Logan Holler to junior wide-out Oggie Badger #7 pass play would result in a 26 yard touchdown on a 4th and 20 situation getting the Bruins on the board early in the 2nd period.
After another Warrior score and trailing 6-24 late in the 2nd period, the Warriors attempted another onside kick-off. This time big Jason Vanginderen #53 stepped in front of the ball and the 6’3″ 230 lb. lineman out ran everybody 52 yards to the endzone making the score 12-24.
Starting the 2nd half the Bruins trailed 12-30 and the Bruin offense came out of the break out of sync. That and penalties kept the Bruin offense from putting any offense together.
Amity would go on to score 20 more points in the second half as the Bruins 2019 season came to an end in a 18-44 loss in the first round of the playoffs.
Coach Bavaro said after the game…”We had some chances to make it a ball game, we just had too many self inflicted wounds.” he said. ” The offense moved the ball up and down the field, but we couldn’t come away with any points. The team played hard the entire game, and I am very proud of what they have achieved. We send a huge thanks to our 9 seniors, and wish them the best in their future endeavors.”
Congratulations to Coach Bavaro, his staff and the entire 2019 Brookings-Harbor High School football team on an excellent season.
