Bears beat Mattawan to improve to 4-1

ST. JOSEPH –The Bears returned home for the 75th St. Joe game played at Dickinson Stadium after falling to Lakeshore the week before.

A mixed attack from the air and on the ground got the Bears back into the win column with a 28-21 win over Mattawan.

The Bears found the endzone on their opening drive of the game.   St. Joe grabbed a 7-0 lead after a 9 play, 60 yard drive, when Griffin Beaudette threw a 5 yard touchdown pass to Izak Ruddell.

It marks the 4th time in 5 games that the Bears have scored on their initial drive of the game.

The lead was short lived. As Mattawan replicated a 60 yard scoring drive, when Tanner Gardner scored on the 30 yard run and the game was tied at 7.

The Bears would take the lead early in the second quarter.    Ryan Haynes capped a 49 yard drive that was set up by a 30 yard passing play to Kourtney Cox at the 6 yard line.  Haynes 6 yard run broke the tie and put St. Joe ahead 14-7, which was the score at the half.

The Bears defense forced Mattawan to a 3 and out on the Wildcats first possession of the second half.  St. Joe then used the opportunity to double the lead when Haynes scored his second touchdown of the game, this one from a yard out, but the point after was missed and the Bears lead was at 20-7.

Mattawan would reply on the following drive on a 33 yard touchdown pass to Ty Havers to make the score 20-14.

St. Joe restored the two touchdown lead with 10:08 left in the fourth quarter when Beaudette found Kourtney Cox in the endzone for the touchdown.   Beaudette then completed a pass to Ruddell for the two point conversion and St. Joe had the 28-14 lead.

Mattawan would close the gap to 28-21 with 2:34 left in the game on a 30 yard touchdown pass to Brady Neel. 

Mattawan would attempt the onside kick, and were able to force a St. Joe punt after a touchdown was nullified by a penalty. 

Mattawan got the ball back but threw four straight incomplete passes and turned the ball over on downs.  St. Joe took a knee once and ran out the final seconds to cap off the 28-21 win.