Bauer keeps word as North Bend edges the Eagle

NORTH BEND - Ethan Bauer made good on a promise to his coach and helped propel North Bend to a homecoming victory on Friday.

Bauer, a senior for the Tigers, had two touchdown catches - including the deciding score - in North Bend’s 28-27 victory over Arlington.

"He was a little miffed last week that he dropped a couple passes," North Bend coach Rick Watson said. "He told me that he was going to make up for that. He’s got great hands and he made some big catches tonight."

None were bigger than his last one of the night.

Two plays after Arlington (0-5) had taken a 27-21 advantage, Bauer caught a pass from quarterback Eric Kavan and outraced the Arlington defense for a 61-yard touchdown with 7:45 to play. Eli Vosler’s extra point gave North Bend the one-point lead.

The Tigers then stopped Arlington on two more possessions to seal the victory.

North Bend (2-3) wasn’t as stingy on defense in the early part of the game, as Arlington scored touchdowns on two if its first three drives.

Taylor Johnson got the scoring started with an 8-yard run. On the final play of the first quarter, Johnson, running a crossing route, pulled in a 74-yard touchdown pass from Adam Dillenburg to put the Eagles ahead 14-7.

Bauer set up North Bend’s first score with an interception that he returned 48 yards to the Arlington 16. Four plays later, Drew Hines carried the ball in from 6 yards out.

North Bend tied the game early in the second quarter on a 19-yard touchdown pass from Kavan to Bauer.

Kavan finished the game 17-for-28 through the air for 256 yards and the two touchdowns. Bauer had six catches for 138 yards.

"You’ve got to give them credit for running good routes and sitting down in there," Arlington coach Steven Gubbels said. "We didn’t get enough pressure on them."

Arlington did, though, take a 21-14 lead on a 3-yard run by Johnson - his third score of the opening half.

North Bend, though, answered just before halftime when Kavan carried the ball in from a yard out.

Neither team scored in the third quarter, but Arlington found the end zone again with 8:39 left in the game.

Johnson had a 30-yard run and Dillenburg a 33-yard gain to set up Dillenburg’s 2-yard scoring run.

The extra-point attempt, though, was blocked by Tyler Kingston of the Tigers to make it just a six-point Arlington lead.

Arlington 14 7 0 6 - 27

North Bend 7 14 0 7 - 28

Scoring

A - Taylor Johnson 8 run (Matt Ostrand kick)

NB - Drew Hines 6 run (Eli Vosler kick)

A - Johnson 74 pass from Adam Dillenburg (Ostrand kick)

NB - Ethan Bauer 19 pass from Eric Kavan (Vosler kick)

A - Johnson 3 run (Ostrand kick)

NB - Kavan 1 run (Vosler kick)

A - Dillenburg 2 run (kick blocked)

NB - Bauer 61 pass from Kavan (Vosler kick)

Team statistics

First downs: A 13, NB 20. Rushing: A 42-224, NB 37-83. Passing: A 4-20-1-112, NB 17-29-0-256. Fumbles-lost: A 3-0, NB 5-1. Penalties-yards: A 5-40, NB 5-51.

Individual statistics

Rushing - A, Johnson 25-164, Dillenburg 10-54, Maslowsky 7-6; NB, Ahl 9-23, Kavan 16-21, Hines 7-29, Schutt 5-10.

Passing - A, Dillenburg 4-20-1-112; NB, Kavan 17-28-0-256, Ahl 0-1-0-0.

Receiving - A, Johnson 3-100, Ostrand 1-12; NB, Hines 8-87, Bauer 6-138, Vosler 2-24, Going 1-7.