The Bison were very close to winning their first game of the season on Saturday at SPIRE Institute, but unfortunately the St. John Heralds were too much to overcome.
“I think one of the most important things to remember is that the majority of our team are freshmen,” said Co-Captain Josh Rosenberg, who is a defensive lineman. “They are all working so incredibly hard, and even though we lost, all the young guys were going at 110%.”
Both teams entered the contest looking to notch their first win.
Coming off two blowout losses to Orange and Chagrin Falls, the Bison were eager to show the Heralds what they were capable of.
The first quarter was scoreless with sophomore quarterback Larry Clark at the helm for Beachwood. He battled to gain momentum for the Bison, and although no points were scored, Clark and the offense showed signs of improvement.
At the start of the second quarter the Heralds were backed up in their own territory. An errant snap through the back of the end zone led to a Bison safety to get the scoring started.
Senior Captain Mar’Tez Pinkney returned the kickoff from the safety, taking it to the house.
We have a lot of heart. We are a team with a lot of freshmen who have never played high school football before, and I think we are stepping up each week.
— Junior Quarterback Jacob Thomas
“When I caught the ball, I saw a bunch of guys in front of me,” Pinkney said. “My first thought was just to run forward, but a couple guys missed me, so I just thought ‘I can take this for a touchdown.’”
That’s exactly what Pinkney did, but unfortunately, after this huge play, the Heralds went on a run, scoring two straight touchdowns.
Making matters worse, quarterback Larry Clark injured his ankle during this period and would not return to the game.
This gave the opportunity for junior Jacob Thomas to fill in at quarterback in the second half.
“At first I needed to get used to the plays and formations, but as the game went on I learned what to do, and I gained more confidence,” Thomas said.
“But obviously, I kept Larry in my thoughts and hope he gets better soon,” he added.
With the score at 12-9 favoring the Heralds, their offense scored a trick play passing touchdown with 1:40 left in the second quarter, and then converted on the 2-point conversion, bringing the score to 20-9, with the Bison trailing.
The Beachwood sideline is full of young players with limited experience, but it was exciting for the Bison to be in the game at the half.
In the third quarter, it was starting to look dull for the Bison as the Heralds continued with their offensive momentum. Nevertheless, Rosenberg tried to keep things positive.
“As one of the captains of our team, we’re trying our best to stay energized,” he said. “We want a goldfish memory. If someone makes a mistake, we hold them accountable, but we don’t berate for it.”
This attitude seemed to pay off at the start of the 4th quarter, when Thomas threw a touchdown.
Shortly after, junior wide receiver Johnathon Owens made an incredible leaping catch over a defender to spark the Bison sideline.
“I already knew JT (Jacob Thomas) was going to get me the ball,” Owens said. “I knew I had to come back and catch it to make a big play for us.”
“I was hyped, I was happy, and I was proud of myself because I’m recently coming off of injury and this is the first game back, and it was just exciting for me,” he added “I was pumped.”
This play got the Bison offense to the goal line, and soon after that Thomas rushed in a 1-yard touchdown. After completing the 2-point conversion, the Bison fought back and had a one score game on their hands.
When I caught the ball, I saw a bunch of guys in front of me. My first thought was just to run forward, but a couple guys missed me, so I just thought ‘I can take this for a touchdown
— Senior Co-Captain Mar'Tez Pinckney
On the next play, sophomore kicker Tristan Brown converted on an onside kick to give the ball right back to the Bison.
After that the Heralds turned up the heat, and an interception followed by a touchdown received by Will Anderson and a rushing touchdown by Ryan Williams, the game was put out of reach.
The final score was 38-24 in favor of the Heralds, but the very young Bison team fought their hardest.
“We have a lot of heart,” Thomas said. “We are a team with a lot of freshmen who have never played high school football before, and I think we are stepping up each week.”
“Our seniors are continuing to do a great job of leading and mentoring our whole team,” he added.
“In the coming years, [this] will be a very scary team,” Rosenberg said.
This Bison will continue to build on their promising performance, and look to get their first win next week at home against Grand Valley Orwell.
