Bethel High School’s varsity football team kicked off their first game of the season Friday September 17th night against Bunnel High School. It was the first game for both teams and expectations were high. With Bethel second in state last year for class M, they had a lot to live up to.

The game started rough and Bethel was down 14-0 before scoring their first touchdown. Brian Birdsel scored six points with a 38-yard run followed by Brandon Schmidt with an extra point. Wildcats’ head coach Jason Gill remarks, “I was very pleased with how well he ran, how well the offensive line blocked and how well our quarterback ran the play.”

Bunnel continued on a good streak with three more touchdowns and one run, taking the score up to 34-7. Birdsel had another touchdown after Bunnel’s 34th point but the kick failed. Randy Lowenadler, the Wildcat’s running back said, “Birdsel played hard and his efforts were clear, his two touchdowns were well deserved.”

The scoring went back and fourth after that. Bunnel scored another seven points and Bethel’s Jake Kawulicz scored a touchdown taking the score to 41-19. Continuing back and forth Bunnel scored again with seven points, then Phillip Daluz scored Bethel’s last touchdown followed by a run in after taking bethel to their final score of 27 points. Bunnel finished the game with a 54-yard fumble return and the kick failed. The final score of the game was 54-27.

Gill’s opinion about Friday night’s game was the team, “gave up big plays and didn’t play as aggressively as we normally do. We weren’t as physical as we needed to be.”

Lowenadler adds, “Our team played hard, but a lot of starters were out and we lost because we had a lot of inexperienced players in.”

Lowenadler was optimistic about Saturday September 25th’s game, “It’s gonna go good because we have most starters back.” Coach Gill’s also had high expectations, “I suspect we will be the physical tough football team I know we are and limit the mistakes.”

The Wildcats had their second game this past Saturday night against Newtown. Bethel turned things around coming out with a 34-28 score.

Wildcat’s quarterback Brandon Schmidt was the hero of Saturday’s game. He came out with two touchdowns, five extra kick points, and sealed off the game with a kickoff. Schmidt was not the only one who came out a hero. Bethel’s Birdsel scored three touchdowns also and played well.

Bethel plays home in Danbury again this coming Saturday October 2nd against Pomperaug at 7 p.m. Pomperaug started their first game 28-0 against Fairfield’s Notre-Dame.