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TREMONTON — The number 100 is a number most of us will never live to see, but the Bear River-Box Elder rivalry, or the Golden Spike rivalry, reached that incredible millstone Friday night.
Heading into the highly-anticipated matchup, Box Elder led the series 71-26-2 in the all-time record. But Friday night's game was an instant classic in the long-standing rivalry with Bear River pulling ahead late to beat Box Elder 26-22. It also happened to be the closest game in the rivalry since 2010 when the Bears defeated the Bees 20-19.
The Bees led most of the night but it all changed when Bears quarterback Josh Payne connected with wide receiver Cael Wilcox on a 41-yard touchdown reception with just under five minutes to go in the game. In his first year playing high school football Wilcox made the biggest play of the game, but this didn't surprise him in the least.
"We ran a vert switch and I knew the ball was coming to me," Wilcox said. "I knew I could beat the defender because I am the fastest guy on the field. I faded in toward the post and Josh threw it right over my shoulder. It was a perfect throw where no one else could get it but me."
Wilcox was also the recipient of a 14-yard touchdown pass earlier in the second quarter. But to him the most important thing is not the stats, it was the fact that his team beat "big brother."
"Box Elder, older brother school, is always looking down on us, but we fought and came out on top and this win is all I’ve ever wanted,” Wilcox said.
Bear River trailed for most of the game, with its largest deficit being 10 points as Box Elder quarterback Parker Buchanan ran in his second touchdown of the game. The Bees followed it up with a successful 2-point conversion off a fake field goal pass to make it a 22-12 lead at the beginning of the fourth quarter.
But the Bears stayed resilient and responded instantly when running back Kace Jones ran right through the heart of the defense for a 34-yard touchdown. It was Jones' second trip to the end zone after taking an outside handoff for a 72 yard trot to the house earlier in the first half. Jones was also a huge factor on defense
from his linebacker spot where he gobbled up everything that came his way.
Even when things seemed bleak there was no quit in the Bears. The team never thought they where out of it, which impressed their head coach Chris Wise.
"That’s the thing I’m most proud of, they never got on their heels and played with tons of heart all night long," Wise said.
The win may only be Bear River's 27th in the rivalry’s long history but Wise knows it is one he and his team will never forget.
"We talked all week about things that are in the books and can never be taken away no matter what. No matter COVID, no matter pandemic, no matter what goes on they cannot take it away, and this right here will never go away," Wise said.
For Box Elder everything was going right through the first three quarters. The Bees' offense was humming along with Buchanan and wide receiver Braylon Majors leading the way. They also connected on a screen pass for Buchanan’s only passing touchdown of the game. Everything changed when the Bears stuffed the Bees on a fourth-and-goal situation with only a few minutes remaining in the third quarter to swing the momentum back in their favor.
The victory means a lot for not just the players but the whole Bear River community as well. Many of the fans in the stands played in the rivalry or have been around it for many years. The tradition of the rivalry transcends the game itself, and to the victor goes bragging rights for the rest of your life.
As Josh’s father Clint Payne, who also played for the Bears, said: "There are three things you remember in your life when you graduate from Bear River: who your first kiss was, who you went to homecoming with and if you beat Box Elder or not."
Bear River moves to 3-1 and will host the 3-0 Ridgeline Riverhawks Friday. Box Elder is still winless at 0-4 and will travel to Farmington to play the Phoenix (1-2).
