In their last home game of the RBHS regular football season, the Bruins lost in their battle against the Francis Howell High School (FHHS) Vikings Friday, Oct. 22. A well-executed offensive Vikings team concluded the game with a RBHS loss, 33-0.

The game began with an early first down from FHHS, leading to a touchdown at the 8:27 mark in the first quarter. This then transitioned into a fumble and sack on the RBHS quarterback, Nathan Dent.

The Vikings continued the pattern of their early game success, with a no-conversion on a 3rd in 13, and then a field goal score. RBHS tried to respond with a menacing defense, which proved too forced by the two holding penalties called on the Bruins on the third offensive possession.

Despite the flawed defensive presence, the Bruins succeeded in a 40-yard run by senior quarterback Nathan Dent with two seconds left in the first quarter. The momentum gained from this play carried into the second quarter, leading RBHS to attempt a fourth down conversion. The Bruins came two yards shor and were unable to bounce back.

In response to the failed attempt at the fourth down, junior offensive linebacker August Pfitzinger managed a sack with a loss of nine yards.

The game continued with a trick play performed by the Vikings, earning them a first down, then a 34-yard pass for a touchdown to make the score 17-0. The momentum gained by Dent’s 40-yard stretch finally diminished with another loss of a 4th down conversion, which allowed the Vikings to go 2/2 on their fourth down conversions for the first half.

FHHS completed a 49-yard pass, allowing them a high chance of a touchdown if RBHS hadn’t shown a strong defensive presence, keeping the Vikings in the red zone. The eventful first half ended with an incomplete hail-mary by Dent, broken up by a double-team.

After the performance of the Emerald Regiment and announcement of RBHS Hall of Fame Inductees during half-time, the third quarter featured good clock-management for more than half the quarter by the FHHS Vikings, allowing them to march the ball down the field and ending in another touchdown.

The frustration arising because of FHHS’s success resulted in a pass interference and an instance of “unsportsmanlike conduct” called on the Bruins by the ref, plaguing them into the end of the third quarter.

The dragging fight against FHHS ended in a final touchdown by the Vikings to make the ending score 33-0.

This loss by the Bruins is seen as an if-then outcome, as the result determined whether the Bruins would be on the road for their next game. 

“We had good weeks of practice but we just have to show up and play,” Head Coach Van Vanatta said. “This is it, and we are one and done. It looks like we’re going to have to go on the road.”

With only a couple of games left in the season, the Bruins face their last stretch of competition in the little time they have left to play.

“We still have a week left of football,” Vanatta said. “We’re going to go play a game and hopefully put two and two together and get it done.”