Bear River runs past Wheatland in key PVL win

Bear River took care of business on the road Friday night, grinding out a 27-13 victory over Wheatland in Pioneer Valley League play. The Bruins controlled the game on the ground, piling up 352 rushing yards on 49 carries while consistently moving the chains against the Pirates. Sophomore running back Carson Schaffner led the way with 152 yards and three touchdowns on 20 carries, while senior Cole Mertens also eclipsed 100 yards, finishing with 100 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries. Junior Jaeden Waters added 88 yards on 13 attempts. Bear River's rushing attack averaged over seven yards per carry and accounted for all three of the Bruins' touchdowns. The Bruins didn't need much from the passing game, with senior quarterback Jayden Brock completing his only attempt for 14 yards to Mertens. Bear River's defense also came up with a turnover as well thanks to sophomore Camdyn Sharp, who intercepted a pass and returned it seven yards. Sharp and senior Ty Cleek each recorded five tackles to lead the Bruins defensively. Sophomore Lottie Smith provided the rest of Bear River's scoring, converting all three extra-point attempts and both of her field-goal attempts, including a long of 32 yards. Bear River coach Dustin Smith said that it was possibly the best game of the season for the Bruins in the trenches on both sides of the ball. "We were sharp in all three phases," said Smith. "The primary fix was to clean up our penalties. We only had two offensive penalties and played smart football. The kids also came out with a new sense of purpose, ready to fight for our season." Bear River (3-3, 1-1 PVL) will host Oakmont (4-2, 2-0 PVL) on Friday.