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BRIGHAM CITY — Box Elder football tasted a bit of its own medicine on Wednesday night.
The Bees, who run a wishbone offense, were gashed on the ground by senior Ridgeline running back Will Rippstein, who ran for 137 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries.
It was not enough to beat Box Elder at its own game, however.
The Bees rushed for 288 yards, four rushing touchdowns and two fourth quarter interceptions that were difference makers as Box Elder prevailed over Ridgeline 28-14 in the non-region, regular season finale.
"We knew their offensive line is their strength on offense, but I didn't realize they could just run them all that well," Box Elder coach Robbie Gunter said. "It took us a while to go — I don't know if we ever really stopped them — but I'm just so pleased with our guys never quitting, stay on the plan."
Tied 14-all early in the fourth quarter, Bees senior linebacker Matthew Petersen dropped back in coverage and intercepted Ridgeline freshman quarterback Nate Dahle in Riverhawks territory. A 23-yard run on screen pass to senior Braylon Majors on third-and-12 set up a 13-yard rushing touchdown from junior Damon Rodriguez to give the Bees a one score lead with 8:09 remaining.
Ridgeline (6-4) responded with a long, wishbone-esque drive down the field, willed by Rippstein, who continued to shed tacklers and move the sticks. But on third-and-long in the red zone, Dahle's pass to junior receiver Carson Cox was tipped in the air and intercepted in the end zone by Bees senior Carson Call with 1:37 remaining.
On the next play, senior running back Ethan White busted up the middle for a 70-yard run, and junior back Daxton Sumko capped off the drive with a 9-yard touchdown to ice the game.
"It was huge," Gunter said of the interceptions. "Those are difference makers. It's just working in the process, competing, because they were moving the ball."
White was the leading Box Elder rusher with 100 yards on eight carries, Sumko ran for 88 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries, and Mason Jeppson rushed for 45 yards and a touchdown on five carries.
Dahle finished the night throwing for 155 yards and a touchdown on 11-of-21 passing, and Ridgeline receiver Graham Livingston had three catches for 51 yards.
The Riverhawks leaped out to an early lead when Dahle found senior Braylon Majors for a 12-yard touchdown pass, but Box Elder responded with 21-yard rushing touchdown from Jeppsen.
Both schools will move their attention to the playoffs in their respective classifications, but Wednesday's matchup was not overlooked by Box Elder, who lost to Ridgeline 57-27 in Millville last year.
"Last year, we were just doing everything we could to just stay (in the game)," Gunter said. "They were really, really dynamic. … But man, it's so much more fun to win."
