MOUNT SHASTA – Prior to the start of the Mt. Shasta Bears versus Yreka Miners varsity football game on Friday, a Bear supporter commented on his team’s chances of winning the contest.

“It only happens once every ten years. I hope tonight is the one,” said the Bear fan.

It was.

In truth it had only been four years since the Bears last beat the Miners—a 35-21 win at home in 2005. In between, the Miners had won three straight by a combined total score of 132-29.

Those losses were erased from the collective memory of Bear fans in one epic 85-yard, come-from-behind, game-winning drive in just under four minutes. The drive culminated with Bear Mark Maumasi breaking a tackle and finding the end zone with nine seconds on the clock, narrowing Yreka’s lead to 13-12.

Then, it was decision time for Bear coach Mike Davis—kick the PAT to tie, or go for the riskier 2-point conversion to win. Davis chose the win.

On the play, Bear quarterback Tim Jaegel rolled to his right. Under pressure from the Miners he fired a pass towards Colin Waterman. The throw was slightly high and wide right. It appeared that Waterman tipped it and that it would fall harmlessly to the ground. Instead, Klayton Davis tracked down the falling pigskin and made the biggest 2-point conversion catch since the Bears won the section three years ago. Davis’ catch gave the Bears the lead, and eventual win, 14-13.

After the game, Maumasi commented on crossing the goal line on the final drive,

“It felt so great. I give it to my line—line blocking and everything.”

Yreka struck first in the contest. Joe Wilson returned the opening kickoff to the Bear 45-yard-line. The Miners steadily advanced down the field, with quarterback Adam Kleier scoring from four yards out. The PAT was blocked by Bear Tim Jaegel, but Yreka led 6-0 with 7:59 on the clock.

It took the Bears less than six minutes to serve notice that things might be different this year. After the Yreka kickoff, Mt. Shasta set up shop on their 30-yard-line. The Bears moved to their 42 on a pass from Jaegel to Davis. Mt. Shasta was stopped for no gain on the next play, but a personal foul penalty against Yreka moved the ball into Miner territory.

The Bears faced a fourth-and-one on the Miner 31 and picked up the first down on a Jaegel keeper. Three plays later, Bryson Brooks scampered 21 yards to pay dirt, tying the game at 6-6, with 2:16 left in the quarter. The PAT failed.

Yreka had a golden opportunity to retake the lead when the Bears fumbled on their first possession of the second quarter. The Miners recovered the ball on the Bear 15-yard-line. However, on the Miners’ first play, Mt. Shasta’s Lorenzo Elder picked off a pass in the end zone, turning the tables on Yreka.

The teams then apparently thought they were playing volleyball because the Miners promptly came up with their own interception and a side out. The Bears regained the serve when they recovered a fumble on the next play. Neither team turned any turnovers into points the entire game.

Yreka drove to the Bear 3-yard-line late in the second half, but were unable to punch it across, and the half ended on a Miner fumble, with the score tied 6-6.

On their first possession of the second half, Yreka appeared to have taken the lead, when Kleier went 15 yards to the end zone, but the TD was negated by a block-in-the-back penalty. On the same drive, Yreka moved to just inside the Bear 8-yard-line where the Miners faced a fourth down with less than three yards to go for a first. Maumasi came up with a tackle for a three-yard loss on the fourth down play, giving the Bears possession on downs at their 11-yard-line.

The Bears were only able to move the ball out to their 26 before having to punt. Miner Dylan Weddle returned the kick to the Mt. Shasta 28.

Runs by Kleier and Travis Fonseca moved the ball to the 19-yard-line, where Yreka had a third and-one at the end of the third quarter. Kleier got a bit more than Yreka needed for the first down on the next play, covering the full 19 yards to the end zone to give Yreka the lead, 12-6. Joe Wilson added the PAT to make the score 13-6 with 11:53 to play in the game.

Mt. Shasta turned the ball over on downs at the Bear 43 on its next possession. Yreka moved into the red zone, but were unable to convert on a fourth-and-four at the Mt. Shasta 15-yard-line.

Then came “The Drive” for the Bears. The Bears took possession at their 15, with 3:50 left to play. On second down, QB Jaegel scrambled for 26 yards, moving the ball to the Bear 41. Aided by a 15-yard face mask penalty, Mt. Shasta moved into Yreka’s side of the field at the 39. Maumasi pounded out 13 yards to give the Bears a first down at the 26, with 2:37 left to play.

Brooks went for five yards, Maumasi for four more, and Jaegel picked up two yards for another first down at the Yreka 15, with 1:22 left. Then Maumasi rushed for four yards, Jaegel for five, and Maumasi for five yards, making it first and goal at the Yreka 1-yard-line. Thirty-three seconds were left on the clock.

An encroachment penalty on Yreka moved the ball a foot and a half closer. Now it was 24 seconds to go. On the next play, Maumasi broke a tackle to power across the goal line. Trailing by one point, 13-12, the Bears elected to go for the 2-point conversion and the win. Jaegel’s pass appeared to go off the intended receiver’s finger tips, but landed in the hands of Davis for the two points and the lead 14-13.

Yreka returned the ensuing kickoff to its 34-yard-line. Yreka’s only play from scrimmage resulted in an incomplete pass.

With the win, Mt. Shasta improves to 1-1. The Bears hit the road to play defending Division-III section champion Hamilton on Friday, September 11. It will be the second defending section champion the Bears will face in the first three games. Mt. Shasta opened the season against Division-IV champ Modoc—a 24-14 loss.

Yreka (1-1) will host Mazama (1-0) on Friday.

Mt. Shasta and Yreka stats will be posted when available.