Bears, Billygoats take tough losses from Jackrabbits, Tigers

BREWSTER/PATEROS – The Bears’ varsity football team hosted a spoiler for its homecoming game on Sept. 22, when the 1A Quincy Jackrabbits from the Caribou Trail League came to town and kept Brewster out of its end zone with a 45-0 final score.

The Bears' concerns were not misplaced about the Jacks, who are early leaders in their conference with a 2-2 record against non-district opponents so far this season. Quincy lost by sizable margins to East Valley (Yakima), 42-12, on Sept. 1, and 35-12 to Ephrata on Sept. 8. Opposing the non-district Tonasket Tigers, the Jackrabbits won handily, 48-7, on Sept. 15, before shutting out Brewster on Sept. 22.

The Bears dropped their first two games this season, 56-27, at 1A Chelan on Sept. 1, and a close 46-41 loss to 8-man freelance Liberty Bell, 46-41, on Sept. 8. The Mountain Lions are the 1B defending state football champions. Brewster rebounded with a Sept. 15, 31-13 win over non-district Cascade (Leavenworth) of the 1A CTL The Bears will face their first conference rival when they travel to Lake Roosevelt at Coulee Dam onSept. 29.

The Raiders are 3-1 winners with victories over Highland (Cowiche), Mabton, and Liberty, and their only loss to Reardan.

Pateros blanked

The news wasn’t any better at Pateros where the Billygoats, still looking for their first season win, lost to visiting district rival Entiat, 69-6, on Sept. 22. Pateros was scoreless through the first three quarters until Jesus Zanabria ran for a short-yardage touchdown within the first minute of the fourth quarter. The extra point attempt failed.

Pateros lost its opening season district game on the road at Moses Lake Christian/Covenant Christian, 54-20, on Sept. 8, and a non-district home stand against Curlew, 68-14.

Head coach Brevin Evenson acknowledged the tough early season losses but sees improvement with each game.

“Each week my group continues to make strides in the right direction, and we are starting to come together as a football team,” Evenson said. “We are seeing the impact missing one year of football can have on a program, but I believe that we will continue to grow and get better each week. These young men are paving the way for the next generation of young men in our community, and it has been a challenging year for us on the football field, but we will piece it together.”

It is also Evenson’s first year leading the team.

“With this being my first season as head coach we are going to have our miscues and bumps and bruises,” Evenson said. “But I am happy to see the growth in the program. There is a buzz going around the school and we are continuing to gain players. We started the season with nine and are up to 16 players in the program now. Just reviving the program has been huge for our school spirit and atmosphere.”

Mike Maltais: 360-333-8483, michael@ward.media