The Bruins traveled to Vick Adams Stadium in North Bend Friday night to face a strong Bulldog team currently ranked #1 in the 4A-3 Far West League.
The Bruins started the game with some changes to their offensive line-up with new quarterback #4 freshman Andrew Burger under center, and #2 Brig Schofield moving to running back. Brookings-Harbor ran Brig Schofield the first plays of the game and then tried to mix up the play calling with some passes from the new young quarterback. A faster physical defense from the Bulldogs would intercept a Burger pass early in the first quarter and North Bend would waste no time moving the ball 70 yards on 4 plays, to score the first touchdown of the game.
The Bruins would fumble the kick-off and turn the ball over to an eager Bulldog offense who would take full advantage of the short field position. They would then drive the ball with their power running game up the center of the defensive line to score quickly making the score 13-0 with 5:14 left in the first quarter.
Brookings-Harbor continued to have difficulty breaking through the North Bend defense and sustain any offensive drives as North Bend would control the game with too much speed and too much power. The Bulldogs would finish the first half with a 45-yard sweep to the outside for another touchdown making the score 48-0 with 1:00 minute left in the half. North Bend would rack up 356 rushing yards and over 370 total yards at the end of the first half.
The Bruins would start the second half with a much more aggressive defensive disposition, holding the Bulldogs to just one touchdown in the second half.
Returning home with a 54-0 loss, the Bruins will undoubtedly recall the mindset it took to stop the #1 ranked team in the league boasting an offensive team that had scored 99 points in it’s previous three games, and figure out a way to carry it over to their next challenge.
This Brookings-Harbor team will take this experience into the week preparing to travel to Suislaw High School stadium. Next Friday night, the Bruins will meet a 0-4 Viking team that has allowed 200 points to be scored against their defense in their four-game season so far.
A different mindset could bring this young burgeoning Bruins team its first victory of the season.