Golden Spike: Macias delivers for Box Elder, turnovers doom Bear River in 21-10 decision
Bees claim Golden Spike on road against Bears
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- Box Elder senior Jay Macias (21) is tackled by Bear River junior Brecken Haynes (18) and senior Kash Avery (9) during the 104th annual Golden Spike Game on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024, in Garland.
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- Bear River junior Brecken Haynes (18) celebrated with senior Kash Avery (9) after a sack during the 104th annual Golden Spike Game on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024, in Garland.
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- Bear River (red) and Box Elder (white) line up during the 104th annual Golden Spike Game on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024, in Garland.
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- Box Elder junior Maddox Earnest (88) secures a pass and inches his way toward the paydirt during the 104th annual Golden Spike Game on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024, in Garland.
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- Bear River sophomore Eli Braegger (24) raises the ball after completing a pass defended by Box Elder junior Korbin Jeppesen (20) during the 104th annual Golden Spike Game on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024, in Garland.
GARLAND — Jay Macias knows his team always keeps him accountable.
So when Box Elder’s starting running back, who also lines up at defensive end, slept through a morning practice this week, there were bound to be consequences. The senior didn’t start in Friday’s 21-10 victory at Bear River but delivered two pivotal scores in the third quarter.
Macias, named the Great American Rivalry’s MVP of the game, inserted two touchdowns — an 80-yard fumble recovery and a 46-yard blastoff run — upon entering the game within the final three minutes of the third quarter.
Box Elder (2-1), up just 7-3 at halftime, preached “dependable teammates” in the locker room, Macias said.
“A lot of us, myself included, missed a practice this week — a walkthrough — by accident,” Macias said. “I didn’t get to start the game. I told my team, ‘I’m going to be there for them all game.’ The second I got put in, I (was) here for them.”
A first half riddled with miscues and turnovers limited the Bees to a one-score lead on a 4A Bears squad (0-3) that went up 3-0 on a 20-yard chip shot drilled home by junior Stone Higley after the Bear River defense opened the night forcing a three-and-out.
Box Elder answered on its second drive of the night, picking up five first downs and scoring on a short-range rush by senior Tyeson Hansen, pushing the contest into the second quarter.
Both Box Elder’s Carter Buchanan and Bear River’s Jaxson Theurer each fumbled away possession on the following drives, resulting in a failed short-range field goal try by Bees senior Ethan Barber and a last-ditch, half-ending toss to the end zone by Theurer falling incomplete.
“Our offense didn’t have any sort of rhythm,” Bear River head coach Trampis Waite said. “We’ve got to do a better job there. We made too many mistakes. Turnovers are key and we made more than them. That’s the bottom line.”
Bear River, briefly leading 10-7 late in the third quarter thanks to a 14-yard touchdown pass from Theurer to junior Jackson Fewkes, squandered its most valuable opportunities during the final 12 minutes.
Theurer threw a costly interception to begin the fourth quarter, coughing up possession to Box Elder near the Bears’ 45-yard line. The Bears failed to generate more than a first down on their next drive, and two sacks between Box Elder senior Bodee Burnham and sophomore Caden Buchanan forced a punt with seven minutes left.
Held to fourth-and-12 with 4:07 on the scoreboard, Box Elder’s special teams gifted Bear River a golden scoring opportunity with a muffed punt by Barber, which the Bears recovered deep in Bees’ territory.
Just a few later, Caden Buchanan pulled down a game-sealing interception near the 10-yard line with less than three minutes left, preventing a potentially game-altering play from the Bears late in crunch time.
“I love Caden Buchanan, dude,” Macias said. “That guy’s always fired up like no other person on the (sideline). He’s always there.”
Asked about his game plan, Waite said his group was able to spread Box Elder out defensively but stalled when it counted most.
“It’s always competitive,” Waite said of the annual rivalry. “It’s always going back and forth, especially early on. We’ve got the crowd behind us, we’ve got a lot of things but it’s gotta turn for us. We’ve just got to stop beating our ourselves.”
Box Elder begins its region schedule on Friday, Sept. 6, at Northridge (7 p.m.). Bear River returns Friday at Mountain Crest (7 p.m.) in search of its first win.
BOX SCORE
Box Elder 0 7 14 0 – 21
Bear River 3 0 7 0 – 10
SCORING LOG
FIRST QUARTER
6:06 – Bear River field goal: Higley 20-yard kick (Box Elder 0, Bear River 3)
SECOND QUARTER
9:18 – Box Elder touchdown: Hansen 3-yard run, PAT good (Box Elder 7, Bear River 3)
THIRD QUARTER
4:40 – Bear River touchdown: Fewkes 14-yard pass from Theurer, PAT good (Bear River 10, Box Elder 7)
2:20 – Box Elder touchdown: Macias 80-yard fumble recovery, PAT good (Box Elder 14, Bear River 10)
0:15 – Box Elder touchdown: Macias 46-yard run, PAT good. (Box Elder 21, Bear River 10)
Connect with prep sports reporter Conner Becker via email at cbecker@standard.net and X @ctbecker.
