BEDFORD - Four turnovers is usually a recipe for a loss in football.
Having two 100-yard rushers can serve as an excellent counter punch.
The Somerset Golden Eagles (5-2) were able to do just that and managed to hold off a late rally by Bedford (1-5) to escape with a gut-wrenching 23-21 victory over the Bisons on homecoming in Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference action at Bisons Stadium.
Somerset coach Bob Landis credited his team's ability to respond to the difficult circumstances.
"They deal with adversity very well," he said. "They're never out of it.
"I'm pleased with their poise under pressure. They always seem to find a way to believe they can get the job done."
After a turnover on downs on the Eagles 27-yard line, the visitors got right to work taking the ball down the field for 63 yards for a field goal from 27 yards away by Samuel Hayward to give Somerset a 3-0 lead with just over 2 minutes to play in the opening stanza.
In the second quarter, defensive back Justin Wilkow managed to intercept a pass from Bison backup quarterback Issac Kline. Matt Boyer cashed in on a 5-yard run to give the Eagles a 10-0 at the intermission.
Boyer ran for 147 yards on 19 carries and two touchdowns.
"I want to complement the line as much as I can," he said. "They did a perfect job, they blocked great."
Once the second half began, a see-saw battle ensued.
After a 15-yard run by Boyer, the Bisons wasted no time striking back in the third quarter as Jake Wirick broke free for a 62-yard scamper on just one play to get the home team on the board, trailing 17-7.
Bedford's rally would continue into the fourth quarter as Raven Beeman would be intercepted by Jeremiah Bingham who took the ball the other way for 31-yards to cut Somerset's lead to 3.
"He was in position and did what he was supposed to do," Bedford coach Kevin Steele said of his junior linebacker's effort.
Beeman bounced back minutes later on fourth-and-4 from the Eagle 47 as he executed a quarterback sneak that went 53-yards for what ended up being the game's deciding score.
Landis was impressed with how his sophomore quarterback stepped up after having fumbled once.
"I think he did a great job," Landis said. "Asking a sophomore to step up and do that, in a big pressure game, and for him to step in and play as well as he did, he played well enough to win and that's all that matters."
Boyer also gave credit to his sophomore teammate for not quitting.
"He might have made a few mistakes, but he made that touchdown he made up for it all. He did a great job for a sophomore."
Beeman rushed for 165 yards on 19 carries.
The Bisons did not go quietly.
Issac Kline managed to find Luke Campbell running down the visitors sideline to pull the Bisons within two with just under two minutes to play.
The rally faltered the next play as Somerset recovered an onside kick with just 1:36 to play.
"We sputtered for most of the game offensively," Steele said. "Our offensive line has struggled. The season's winding down and we've got to figure things out fast or it won't be a positive end of the season."
Despite the loss, Steele still believes that progress is being made.
"I think we've gotten better over the course of the season," he said. "We're still nowhere close to where we need to be."
Game notes: Somerset starting quarterback Tanner Stull was sidelined with an injury. Bisons starting quarterback Aaron Henry left the game with an injury with 7:01 left in the first quarter, but did return. Bedford travels to Central Cambria while Somerset will head to Forest Hills.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Somerset3 7 7 6 23
Bedford0 0 7 14-21
First quarter
S Hayward 37 FG, 2:13
Second quarter
S Boyer 5 run (Hayward kick), 4:00
Third quarter
S Boyer 15 run (Hayward kick), :25
B Wirick 62 run (Montgomery kick), :04
Fourth quarter
B Bingham 31 Interception return (Montgomery kick), 7:00
S Beeman 53 run (Kick failed), 3:12
B-Campbell 43 pass from Kline (Montgomery kick), 1:37
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: Somerset - Faulkner 10-61, Beeman 19-165, Boyer 19-147, Sarver 1-4. Bedford - Bingham 9-35, Henry 6-23, Kline 6-1, Wirick 5-85, Koontz 1-3, Campbell 1-2.
PASSING: Somerset - Beeman 2-4-1-22. Bedford -Henry 0-0-0-0, Kline 3-12-1-65.
RECEIVING: Somerset - Berkebile 2-22. Bedford - Wirick 2-22, Campbell 1-43.
Interceptions: Somerset -Wilkow. Bedford -Bingham.
TEAM STATISTICSSB
First downs199
Rushing yards.40-377 28-149
Passing (comp-att.-int)2-4-13-12-1
Yards Passing2265
Fumbles-lost5-33-0
Penalties-yards6-405-20
Punts-avg.1-315-34.4
