Bears Open Their Season at Lincoln

And just like that, another season begins as the Willow Springs football Bears rolled into their season opener against the Lincoln Cardinals. Behind freshman quarterback, Caden Lee, the Bears had the look of a team trying to outrun the ghosts of seasons past.  With a combination of carries by Kayden Woolsey and completed passes to Anthony Shortridge, the Bears converted for a first down on their initial possession, but were unable to translate anything to the scoreboard. 

 

The Cardinals opened up with a huge run but on the following play, their pass was intercepted by Asher Smith, sending the Bears offense back to work.  Again, no points could be gleaned and Braden Scarbrough punted for the second time in the game.  The punt return was fumbled by the Cardinals and the ball was scooped up by Everett Smith, making two turnover recoveries by the stealthy Smith brothers in the first quarter.

 

The quarter ended with the score even at 0-0, and the two teams spent most of the first half battling back and forth with nothing on the board to show for it.

 

Late in the second quarter, Lincoln began to get their footing, scoring on a pass and tacking on a two-point conversion, making the score 8-0. 

 

The Bears countered with a 46-yard kickoff return by John Baugh but ran out of time to make anything happen.

 

The Lincoln Cardinals emerged from halftime with dominance and took only three plays to score again. The third quarter woes continued with the Lincoln Cardinals scoring twice more at the hands of quarterback, Riley Sanders, and senior running back, Camden Everhart, who ended the game with over 200 yards. 

 

At the end of the third, the Cardinals were up 32-0.  The ghosts of the past were catching up, but the Bears did not wait around to be caught.  Sparked by some good defensive plays, the Bears got the ball back, and big runs by Shortridge and Woolsey set up a quarterback keeper touchdown by Caden Lee.  Ethan Stephenson kicked through the extra point.

 

On the next Bears’ possession, Lee broke free for a 67-yard scamper to the end zone.  The extra point attempt was unsuccessful, and the game ended with the score of 32-13, Lincoln.

 

After the game, Coach Schwalm said, “Lincoln is a great veteran team with great coaches.  Congrats to our kids for picking their heads up after that third quarter.  The team we are trying to build isn’t going to happen overnight.”

 

The Bears will face Pleasant Hope at Palenske Field Friday night.