The Bryan Golden Bears came out swinging Friday night, matching Archbold punch for punch through much of the first half before the Blue Streaks pulled away late in a 37–10 final. Despite the loss, the Golden Bears showed grit, physicality, and balance on both sides of the ball in the opening quarters.
After Archbold struck first, Bryan quickly answered with an impressive drive highlighted by strong runs from Jake Arnold and Cade Carlin. Carlin finished it off with a 3-yard touchdown plunge, and Carter Luce’s extra point gave the Bears a 7–6 lead midway through the first quarter.
Bryan’s defense tightened up in the second quarter, forcing punts and holding Archbold to just a late field goal before halftime. The Bears went to the locker room trailing only 16–7 and firmly in striking distance against one of the NWOAL’s most explosive offenses.
Coming out of the break, Luce drilled a 39-yard field goal to cut the lead to 16–10, giving the Bears a boost of momentum. Bryan’s running game continued to move the chains, with Arnold rushing for 71 yards on 16 carries and Carlin adding 70 yards and a touchdown.
The Blue Streaks eventually pulled away in the second half behind a couple of big plays through the air, but Bryan continued to battle to the final whistle. The Bears finished with 147 rushing yards and held the edge in time of possession (26:50 to 21:10), a testament to their effort in the trenches.
Uran, Weber, and Wallace each contributed in the passing game, while Luce remained perfect on special teams. Defensively, Carlin added an interception, marking another solid all-around night for the senior playmaker.
The Golden Bears (2–7, 1–5 NWOAL) will look to build on their strong early performance and energy as they close out the season next week hosting Delta.