Much like the season itself, anything BL could get its hands on came via trial and error. This particular attempt hit senior wide receiver Gavin Rivera from 30-plus yards to finally put the Scots on the scoreboard. First-year BL coach Ty Smith was among the loudest on the home sideline.

For only a moment, a fatal shooting that killed one BL student, with another accused of the act, was out of frame during the 78th annual Iron Horse game on Wednesday.

“You can come out and play against teams that are more talented than you in every position,” Smith said. “X’s and O’s, you can throw them out the door. A win-loss record for me as a head coach, I couldn’t care less. It’s not about me, but it’s about these kids, seeing them chestbumping, high-fiving and excited down there down 35 (to) nothing — that’s a win.”

A heavy police presence, including armed officers atop the pressbox and a nearby church along Harrison Boulevard, patrolled BL’s stadium. Both teams joined arms for a moment of silence before Ogden roared to a 37-6 victory over the Scots in the regular-season finale.

Photo supplied, Jim Blankenship

“Having these talks with the guys, it definitely opens their eyes to surround themselves with like-minded people that’re into the good things,” Smith said.

Since his arrival this summer, Smith hasn’t cared about the win-loss column whatsoever. He knew in advance the unique complications and economic roadblocks hindering his job description, and that any chance BL has at football comes from scratch.

Smith’s first season is nearly over, with the 0-9 Scots awaiting their first-round state playoff assignment this weekend. The Scots listed just 28 players before the season began, and Smith’s been actively recruiting the halls and community circles over the last three months.

“We’re trying to get them better by being part of the community (and) being part of a group of guys that are like-minded. That’s kind of my pitch, talking with these administrators, talking with the superintendent and talking to all these guys — it’s like, that’s what we can offer,” Smith said.

“You can be here every single day, working out in the weight room, practicing a sport — whether it’s football, basketball, wrestling, baseball, track, whatever it is — and you’re up here every single day from 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. We’re here, we’re training kids, we’re doing things, and that’s kind of where I want to go within this community. In essence, high school sports are a form of childcare, and the way kids responded has been awesome. It’s phenomenal.”

CONNER BECKER, Standard-Examiner

Safe spaces are where Smith and BL football hope to thrive, and this semester is another indication that the need is real at BL. Earlier this month, a separate incident resulted in the arrest of another juvenile in connection with a bomb threat phoned to the school.

But Ogden and youth football are experiencing something of a renaissance with the collaboration of the Ogden Wildcats program and the Wasatch Front Football League, a partnership that’s in direct contact with Smith and first-year Ogden coach Terry Larson.

Ogden promoted Larson to head coach following the retirement of longtime coach Erik Thompson, who stepped away from the team last winter to focus on his battle with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Larson led the Tigers to a second consecutive 6-4 finish to the regular season this fall, and now awaits a potential home berth in the state playoffs.

When it comes to football, Larson says both schools are on the same team all but one day of the year for the Iron Horse, a rivalry uninterrupted since 1953.

“I think we’ll get together over the summer, and I want to help,” Larson said. “You want to help each other as much as possible. We’re both from the same area, and we’re out here for the same community. My heart goes out to the family of the victim, and we’re going to do our best to work together for youth football. Youth tackle football is back in Ogden, so we’re going to build both of our programs together.”

Participation levels once sank Ogden to similar lows, with eight consecutive losing seasons from 2010 to 2017, before Thompson’s turnaround.

Lyndon Johnson found brief success at Ben Lomond, including a 21-7 win over Ogden during a 6-5 finish in 2023. Johnson is now BL’s head boys basketball coach and an aid to Smith in an effort to boost football numbers through Ogden’s newfound youth football collaboration.

That 2023 season remains the Scots’ only winning season since 2000, with BL going 5-5 in the 2016 regular season before losing a playoff game.

“We’re going to change it, and it starts with them,” Smith said.

Connect with reporter Conner Becker via email at cbecker@standard.net and X @ctbecker.