SMITHFIELD — If two games is enough time to judge a football team's upcoming season, the verdict is in for the Sky View Bobcats, and they're tough this year.
After shutting out the Clearfield Falcons last week, the Bobcats promptly crushed defending 3A champs Bear River 48-0 on Friday in a contest that was overwhelmingly lopsided from the get-go.
"Our kids were ready to go tonight," said Bobcat coach Craig Anhder. "Our D was awesome, just awesome. We have so much respect for Bear River and I don't think we expected this tonight. The kids were just flying around the ball."
If forcing turnovers on three straight plays, and scoring on a fumble recovery means "flying around the ball" then that's exactly what was going on.
The melee began on a two-yard run by quarterback McKade Brady followed by a 25-yard touchdown strike to J.D. Falslev.
The floodgates then opened.
With so many quality athletes in the spread offense, it's pick your poison for coach Anhder. And opposing teams have yet to find a tonic. Sky View has wiped out the competition thus far in 2007 outscoring their opponents 76-0.
After leading 17-0 at halftime, the Bobcats used a 21-point third quarter to put the game way out of reach. Another Brady touchdown run, a slot reverse to Kyle Allen for a 17-yard touchdown, and a 13-yard touchdown scamper by Falslev put the Bobcats up 38-0 going into the fourth.
"We had good practices all week, coach had us well prepared for this game and you could tell before it started. We were pretty excited before the game started," said Falslev. "We still have kinks to work out, things to work on, but if our receivers and o-line continue to block like this we'll be alright."
A Brayden Compton 40-yard fumble return for a touchdown capped off the scoring flurry in the fourth as Sky View made it clear it will be a force this fall.
To accompany the stellar offense, the Bobcat D now has two shutouts to its credit. Two shutouts, and countless bone-jarring hits were heard well from the press box.
Limiting the Bears to just 113 total yards, allowing just four first downs, and forcing three turnovers on consecutive Bear River plays, it's hard to say which side of the ball has been better for Sky View.
All this is credited to a squad that only returned three starters from last year's team. You wouldn't know it after two near-flawless performances in 2007.