Photos Courtesy Of: Craig Mitchelldyer

NEWBERG --- The George Fox football team bounced back Saturday afternoon with a 35-3 win over the visiting Yellow Jackets of Howard Payne.

Recap:

The Bruins sprinkled in a bit of everything in this nonconference matchup, as both the defense and the offense were firing on all cylinders. It first seemed to be a slow and steady race at first, but gears quickly shifted as the Bruins found their momentum early.

Anthony Garcia was the first to find the end zone as the junior running back produced a 2-yard touchdown run to give the Bruins a 7-0 lead. The Yellow Jackets had a tough time figuring out the Bruins' defense as consecutive stops gave the Bruins plenty of chances.

Early on in the second quarter, freshman quarterback Jaden Sheffey made his debut and did well moving the sticks for the Bruins. After getting his feet wet, Sheffey delivered a perfect pass to Kenny May, who went for 74-yards and opened up the margin to 14-0.

George Fox didn't show any signs of slowing down, either, as the special teams go into the mix with a forced fumble on the next kickoff. Lucas Schwin forced the fumble for the Bruins and Wyatt Adams immediately jumped on the ball to give the Bruins great field position.

Sheffey and company made the Yellow Jackets pay as they slowly moved down the field. Wesley Riddell was the final Bruin to score in the first half, as the senior punched in the 2-yard run.

Georg Fox went into the half with a 21-0 lead.

Despite the Bruins scoring 14 more points in the second half, it was the defense who stole the show. Rudy Hughes, Austin Taylor, Chris Gray, and Richie Hauser each got in the action with an interception apiece.

"We came into today's game with a goal of forcing three or more turnovers," said senior safety Rudy Hughes. "We take it upon ourselves to give our offense the best chance of scoring."

With the four interceptions in the second half, the Bruins had plenty of chances to get on the board. The Bruins' first interception came from Taylor, which set up a 12-yard touchdown pass from Josh Kibbey to James Nguyen in the third quarter. Hughes grabbed the second interception on the day, which he took to the house for a 48-yard pick-six. The final two interceptions all but sealed the deal for the Bruins who came away with their first win of the season.

"Our crowd was incredible today," added Hughes. "We loved our student section and the energy they bring to the game. They fuel us. We can hear them in the background and we want to put on a show for them."

Top Performers:

Kibbey went 8-15 on the day with 83 yards and one touchdown. Anthony Garcia led the run game with a team-high 14 attempts for 71 yards and a touchdown. Riddell was next in line with 10 attempts for 57 yards and a touchdown. Kenny May and James Nguyen both found the end zone for the receiving core. Daniel Campos led the defense with a team-high six tackles and one tackle for a loss.

What It Means:

With the win, the Bruins bounce back on the season with a 1-1 overall record.

What Comes Next:

The Bruins take to the road next week with a game against Pomona-Pitzer on Saturday, Sept. 15, at 5 pm.