The Box Elder High School football team took the field against the Copper Hills last Friday, but the Bees weren’t competing against just the Grizzlies.

Without question, the Grizzlies were simply the most obvious victims in a battle the Bees waged against the memory of a poor performance two weeks prior at Weber, where they got beat, 42-0.

“We wanted to make up for it,” said linebacker Eric Lewis, who recorded three sacks and an interception in the Bees’ 27-14 win over Copper Hills. “We were going all out in practice to prepare for this game. Our energy...was way up today.”

And the difference in the performances can be summed up in one word, according to lineman Daniel Crook: “Attitude.”

“The line was physical,” he said. “We just exploded. We wanted it.” Crook collected one sack, harassed the quarterback all night and was a big part of the Bees’ nine sacks on the night as he blew open holes in the Grizzlies offensive line. In the game, six different players had sacks: Lewis (three), Chris Leishman, Daniel Crook, Carson Mund (two), Sean Smith and Jordan Hardy.

“We just asked them to compete for everything,” said coach Robbie Gunter. “The week before they just kind of expected it to happen and it didn’t.”

In the first half, Copper Hills’ offense was only able to generate five first downs and 54 yards. They only got over the 50-yard line once, and in their five first-half possessions Box Elder had four sacks and an interception.

The change in attitude was obvious on offense, too, as the Bees scored on four out of their six first half possessions while putting up 310 yards of offense and building a 24-0 lead.

“We need to compete,” said Box Elder quarterback Mitch Parrish, who rushed for two touchdowns and passed for another. “Be competitive every play.” Parrish, who spent a lot of time on the ground and running from defenders at Weber, was cool, composed and efficient at Copper Hills. “The line played really well,” he said. “And we don’t go anywhere without the line.”

It was the Bees’ ball carriers who reaped the benefits of a job well done by the line.

On their opening possession, Colby Bahe broke open a 41-yard run to help set up an 11-yard touchdown pass to Carson Mund. The Bees forced a punt after five plays, then moved the ball 67 yards for a touchdown. Sean Smith had 26 yards on two carries on the drive to help set up Parrish’s 33-yard scoring run.

On their fourth possession, Britton Gunter took in a short pass and juked-and-jived his way for 47 yards, setting up Parrish’s 4-yard touchdown run. Gunter struck again on the Bees’ final possession of the half, using a key block to break open a 32-yard reception and set up a field goal.

While the Bees’ performance at Weber lulled the Grizzlies into a false-sense of security for the first half, the story changed in the second.

The Bees capitalized early on a Copper Hills fumble to put up three points, but penalties and turnovers helped keep the Bees off the scoreboard, while the Grizzlies moved the ball more efficiently on offense.

“We just need to polish up a little bit,” said Gunter about the penalties.

As for the Bees’ seeming inability to move the ball in the second half, well, let’s just call it practice.

“Where we had a little bit of a lead, we wanted to try some new things,” he said.

Copper Hills scored on their second possession with a 23-yard pass, and converted again two possessions later with a 43-yard pass.

But just as it seemed the winds of change were blowing in the Grizzlies’ direction, Eric Lewis took that wind out of their sails.

Lewis, who had played safety at Weber, was moved to linebacker as the team made adjustments to compensate for “deficiencies,” according to coach Gunter.

Lewis ended Copper Hills’ next possession with an interception and forced a 3rd-and-27 on the subsequent possession after recording consecutive sacks.

“What a performance,” Robbie Gunter said.

This week, the Bees face what is potentially their toughest test of the year when they host Bear River on Friday.

Bear River is expected to become the 3A state champs this year, and their first two performances have lived up to the hype. On August 21, the Bears embarrassed former region opponents, Logan, who is now in 4A in the same region as the Bees, by way of a 60-34 rout. Last week, the Bears did the same to American Leadership Academy, 53-25.

“They have so many weapons offensively,” said Gunter, “it’s going to be tough to stop them.” He also implied that stopping them may be Mission: Impossible. “I think they’re the real deal.” Gunter said the goal for his team this week will be to keep the Bears in front of them and stop the big play; “Make them earn everything,” said Gunter.