Badgers win homecoming game

Cal Tatum/Sierra Star

Yosemite and Sierra High Schools were both hitting hard and fast at the homecoming game.

Cal Tatum/Sierra Star

Number six, Jason Price, was one of the key players at Friday’s game. The effectiveness of the front line and excellent play-calling opened up the holes in Sierra’s defense.

Cal Tatum/Sierra Star

Yosemite High’s varsity team watches the game, anticipating when they will play and encouraging their team-mates on the field. It was an exciting night for players, coaches and fans.

Cal Tatum/Sierra Star

Ashley Newton accepts her crown and makes history at Yosemite High. The night was topped off by the team winning the football game against rival Sierra High.

Barry Ferris - Sierra Star

Friday night’s football game between the Sierra Chieftains and Yosemite Badgers lived up to its billing. The Badgers’ second half dominance of the Chieftains kept the Mountain Bowl in the hands of the Badgers for at least another year.

Yosemite won the game 38-28. The stands were packed on both sides of the field. “This is the most fans that I have ever seen for a Yosemite football game,” remarked Eric Hansen, a long time teacher and coach at Yosemite. Some fans believed the crowd was over 4,500. At kick-off, there was standing-room-only seating. The Yosemite administration said this was the largest money take ever for a football game or any other assembled event at Yosemite High School.

Despite the tons of offense, the key touchdown was made by the defense. With 5:01 left in the fourth quarter, the Badgers had a 31-28 lead via a field goal by Casey Lucas with 5:47 left in the game. Sierra had the ball on the 15-yard line. On a second and 10 play, Sierra’s quarterback, Korey Hendrix, rolled to his left. Badger Jason Price fired through the line from his linebacker position and put a hit on Hendrix that was heard around the mountains. The ball went one way and Hendrix the other. Price scooped up the ball on the seven-yard line and scampered into the endzone for a Yosemite T.D. The play made the score 38-28. It was a punch that put Sierra on the convass for the knock-out.

The game had an inauspicious beginning for the Badgers as Sierra’s quarterback, Korey Hendrix raced 53 yards for a Chieftain touchdown on the second play from scrimmage. The point-after-touchdown missed, and Sierra took a 6-0 early lead.

A fumble recovery by Yosemite with 6:52 left in the first quarter set-up a Quint Brown 69-yard T.D. Run. Brown got some excellent blocking from the right side of the Badger line plus from their fullback. The P.A.T. was good, and the Badgers led 7-6 with :42 left in the first quarter.

The Chieftains came back and scored on a short plunge by Hendrix to take the lead. They made the two point conversion, and the score was 14-7, Chieftains.

Sierra recovered a Badger fumble on the Badgers’ 35yard-line. Two plays later Sierra scored on a 36-yard run by Greg Conley to make the score 21-7 following the successful P.A.T. The outcome looked bleak for the hometown Badgers. But then a Sierra fumble was recovered by the Badgers. They started a drive on their own 36-yard line. Brown carried the ball three times for 21 yards. On a second-and-nine situation, Badger quarterback, Daniel Reagan, hit Becher Marr with a pass that covered 64 yards for a Badger T.D. The P.A.T. was good, and made the score 21-14, Sierra.

The Badgers got the ball back, and after a 10-yard run by Brown, Reagan completed a 30-yard pass to receiver, Daniel Talbot. This put the Badgers on the one-yard line. Reagan scored on a quarterback sneak. The P.A.T. was good, and the score was tied 21-21. The first half ended with this score.

The Badgers stopped Sierra to begin the third quarter. The Badgers had 11 straight plays. Marr carried the ball four times as did Price. Marr scored with 1:46 left in the third quarter from the one-yard line. The P.A.T. was good and the Badgers led, 28-21

The Chieftains refused to quit. They took to the air and tied the score at 28-28 with 10:40 left in the game on a 66-yard pass from Hendrix to Conley.

A Casey Lucas 23-yard field goal set-up Price’s heroics with 5:47 left in the game. Price’s T.D. made the final score 38-28.

The running backs had outstanding stats. Brown had 151 yards on 19 carries, and Marr had 62 yards on 14 carries. Price had 45 yards on 6 carries.

Reagan had 119 yards passing on four completions. Hendrix had 183 yards passing and 83 yards rushing on 20 carries.

The Badgers will travel to play Selma this Friday. Game time is 7:30 for the varsity and 5:30 for the J.V. teams.