Bruins rolling on the River Valley
PERU – The St. Bede Bruins closed the season on a positive note here, handing the River Valley Falcons their 38th consecutive loss to end their run in the Big Rivers Conference 54-18. The Bruins end the season 4-5.
“Our defense has been playing really well lately,” SBA coach John Bellino said. “They’ve got a nice looking offense. We helped them out with 30 yards of penalties on that first drive. I think that we’re more used to playing in this league than they are. and I wish them the best once they leave the conference.
“I’m really happy for our guys to end on a strong note and set the tone for next year.”
The Bruins set the tone early as Andrew Koyak intercepted Jeff Miller’s second pass of the game to give his team the ball at its 45-yard line.
Adam Schweickert covered all but two of the 55 yards, including a 34-yard scoring run and the two-point conversion to give the Bruins an 8-0 lead that they would not relinquish.
The one real hiccup for the Bruins came on the Falcons next possession as they marched the ball 85 yards down the field for the score, aided by 30 yards of penalties by the Bruins, to cut the lead to 8-6.
The Bruins answered with another interception on the Falcons’ next possession, this time by Kevin King, who returned the ball 42 yards down to the River Valley eight.
Schweickert needed only two carries to score his second touchdown of the night. Ryan Denis hit Koyak for the extra point, and a 10-point lead for the Bruins with over 11 minutes to play in the first half.
James Brady picked Miller pass which led to a King 11-yard scoring run, and the route was on with the Bruins up 24-6.
Then, following a River Valley punt, Nick Hueneburg capped a 55-yard drive with a 15-yard run, then added the conversion to put the Bruins up 32-6 with time running out in the first half.
The Falcons cut the lead to 32-12 with a four-yard Miller pass to Nate Louis as time ran out in the half.
The Bruins scored on a 34-yard King run to take a 38-12 lead.
Defensive lineman Austin Yoon got into the interception action on the Falcons’ next drive, as he stepped in front of a screen pass to give the Bruins the ball at the River Valley 37. Eight plays later, Denis called his own number for the final yard to put the 40-point rule within reach after the Schweickert conversion run gave pushed the lead to 46-12.
The Bruin defense held the Falcons to three yards on their next possession to take control of the ball at the River Valley 43.
On third and six, Hueneburg finished the drive with a 38-yard run. Denis hit King for the conversion to set the clock to run with the Bruins up 54-12 with just over a minute left to play in the third quarter.
The Falcons managed a 53-yard drive to cut the lead to 54-18 in the fourth quarter.
