This year’s varsity Bengal football team started off the 2017 season a little differently. The Bengals had their first home game of the season Friday, Sept. 15, against one of their biggest opponents in Lewiston — their neighbors, the Clarkston Bantams. When the Bengals walked onto the field last Friday, they held high hopes for beating their rivals.
“It was really cool,” said Taran Smith, senior linebacker. “… And the best part about it? I’ve never lost to CHS… ever.”
Ending the game 23-0 shocked a lot of the community.
“I expected us to win” said junior, defensive back, Connor Spencer. “…But I also expected Clarkston to bring a more exciting game.”
Clarkston’s senior wide receiver, Jakob Freeman, had a fairly different opinion on the game.
“I imagined the game going better,” said Freeman, “but that’s the game of football. You never know the outcome.”
With only three home games this season, many Bengal players said that winning the first home game was a good way to show the community what they are made of.
“Winning that game showed us how tough we actually play together and what we actually need to work on,” said senior linebacker, Zane Rudolph. “It was a winning boost to get our team ready to go for what is coming up next.”
So what exactly is coming next? The tougher 5A division schools, the playoffs and hopefully the first win at state in 24 years.
Lewiston’s current standing is 2-2. Falling to Carson City, Nevada, by one point Aug. 26, the Bengals’ final score was 14-13 at Idaho State University. In addition, the Bengals played against Hermiston, Oregon, Sept. 8 with a brutal 26-0 loss.
Along with the win over Clarkston, the Bengals beat Walla Walla Sept. 1, 21-0.
The Bengals’ next game will be Sept. 22 at Sandpoint with a 7 p.m. kickoff. The following Friday, the Bengals will host Moscow, also with a 7 p.m. kickoff for the 2017 homecoming game.