NEWBERG, Ore. -- The rematch between the Pacific Boxers and the George Fox football team couldn't have looked any different.
But the result was the same.
After defeating the Boxers back in September, 14-9, the teams made up for lost points as the Bruins bested Pacific once again, winning a 45-42 thriller on Senior Night.
How It Happened
DeMontre Thomas II started at QB for the past three games, but it was
Max Richey who got the nod in his final game for the Bruins — and he made sure to leave an impression. Richey completed his first three passes for 49 yards, culminating in a 10-yard touchdown pass to
Elias Polanski to give Fox an early 7-0 lead.
After a lengthy Pacific drive ended in a missed field goal, the Bruins countered with a lengthy drive of their own; the 7:50 long drive featured two third-down conversions and a fourth-down rush before
Logan Candanoza found the end zone on a one-yard score.
 And it didn't stop there for Fox: the offense tied their season-high with a 21-point second quarter thanks to a 20-yard TD catch from
Logan Klopfenstein and a 2-yard rush by
Taylor Saben.Â
Mikey Goforth even got in on the offense action; the Bruin punter once again scrambled for a first down, his third successful fake punt of the season.
Down 28-7 with just seconds left, the Boxers made a key change at quarterback, taking out starter Ryan Helt and inserting backup Braeden Titus. Titus immediately moved the ball into scoring range, cutting the Bruin lead to 28-14 at the half. On the opening drive of the third quarter, Titus again went deep — and again converted, finding Isaiah Pitre deep for a 68-yard touchdown.
The quarterback change and subsequent scores did nothing to deter the fast-moving Bruin offense, though — Fox moved swiftly down the field before
Ben Rembisz made the score 31-14 with his 29-yard field goal. Then, the Boxers tried their best Goforth impersonation, attempting a fake punt on a 4th and 5. The attempted snap to the upman was botched, and
John Ojeisekhoba was there to stonewall the Boxers for a 12-yard loss. Just four plays later, Richey found Klopfenstein to give Fox a 38-21 lead.
Titus and the Pacific O did not roll over, however. Though the Bruins countered an early fourth-quarter Pacific touchdown with one of their own (a 16-yard pass from Richey to Polanski), the Boxers slowly chipped away at the Bruins' 45-28 lead. Boxer bell-cow back Brody Bantolina found the end zone to make the score 45-25, and Titus found Vargas again from 35 yards out to cut the score to just one possession.Â
With one minute remaining in the game and the Boxers driving,
Kiegan Schaan was sure to end his Bruin career on his own terms. The senior safety stepped in front of a Titus pass, intercepting the ball and ending the game. The Fox sidelines and stands erupted as the Bruins won their final game of the season, 45-42.
Top Performers
Max Richey saved the best game of his career for last, finishing 20/28 for 314 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception. Richey ran for 35 yards on the night, even catching a four-yard pass himself on a trick play pass from
Elias Polanski. Polanski himself had a career day, leading the team with 83 yards receiving and two touchdowns.
Logan Klopfenstein joined Polanski with two receiving TDs on the night.
William Moffitt led the team with 45 yards rushing, with both
Taylor Saben and
Logan Candanoza scoring on the ground.
Defensively,
Kiegan Schaan led the way with 11 tackles, six of them solo, two pass breakups, and an interception.
Austin Harrison and
Nolan Martin recorded nine and eight tackles, respectively, while Ty Norde recorded two additional pass breakups, one on a key fourth down late in the game.
What It Means
The Bruins finish their season with a 4-6 record (3-4 NWC), good for fifth in the conference. Fox was sure to finish the year strong, winning three of their last four.
What Happens Next
Though the season may be over, Fox will soon gear up for the 2024 football season.
